Unto the Few
by ValleyKnown
Summary: Voldemort is rising and this time he won't let anything stand in the way of achieving his ends--especially now that he's discovered something incredible about the secrets of his own mind! Enter YYH and Kagome Higurashi!
1. An Unwise Desicion?

**Author's Notes: **This story has been entirely re-edited and chapter two has been rewritten completely. So I encourage all of you (even if you've already read the story) to please re-read it. Not much has been changed, but hopefully the grammatical errors and numerous punctuation has been improved. To all of the reviewers, thank you so much for everything. Reviews are the lifeblood of my writing, and were the only things that kept me from dropping my stories like hot potatoes. I appreciate your support more than you know. Thank you.

Please be aware (if you are not already) that I am a writer prone to severe and chronic Writer's Block. I give you fair warning.

**There are spoilers here if you do not know what happens at the end of the Chapter Black arc**. This will be my only warning to you!

This is a hypothetical 6th year of Hogwarts. Umbridge is gone, the Ministry is uneasy and uncertain, Voldemort is gathering his forces, the Weasley twins are now running Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and Sirius is dead. The rules made by Umbridge have been demolished, and Dumbledore is back as Headmaster.

**The one and only disclaimer:** Harry Potter obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling, InuYasha to Rumiko Takahashi, and Yu Yu Hakusho to Yoshihiro Togashi.

Please enjoy.

**Chapter One: An Unwise Decision? **

"Albus, do you really think this is a wise choice?" Minerva McGonagall asked, as the rest of the staff and some of the more prominent members of the Order were sitting around a long table, in the dining hall of the Black House. Many of them were nodding their heads in agreement with Minerva.

"I can assure you, Minerva, that this is a wise course of action. I have watchers in eighty-seven percent of the world's countries, Japan included among those. And I have been notified that there has been an unusual amount of magic going on for quite some time. I believe that it is not safe for such young persons to be practicing magic that is untrained and unsupervised. It is simply not safe for themselves, and they could seriously injure others," Dumbledore reasoned.

"But they are well over the age to be taken in as first years, Headmaster!" Mr. Weasley interjected. "They are, as you said earlier, old enough to be going in as sixth and seventh years! What about NEWTS? They haven't even learned their basic spells, let alone taken their OWLS!"

"Ah, but I have already thought of this." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. "You see, these students are very accomplished; they do not practice magic using wands."

A surprised murmur ran up and down the table. "What? That's impossible, Sir!" Madame Pince, the Hogwarts Librarian objected. "You have to use a wand to do magic!"

"I do not doubt your expertise in knowledge of magic, Madame; after all, you have been our Reference Professional for quite some time now and I'm sure that you are well informed." Dumbledore said, placating her. "However, these students practice an eastern form of 'magic'."

"What do you mean 'Eastern' magic?" Tonks asked eagerly, leaning forward.

"It is a different way of practicing magic. They do not use wands because they do not need them for the type of magic they practice. It is…difficult to explain. Severus?"

Snape strolled into the room and dealt out copies of two-paged profiles of to every person in the room.

"Thank you, Severus."

Snape nodded once and took a seat at the foot of the table. "Now, look at the first of these. The first page is a picture of the student, name, age, and occupation. The second page is their abilities and strength statistics. One to ten is the scoring for their strengths and abilities, with ten being the highest. I will give you a half an hour to study these and discuss with your neighbor. Please, take your time and do not fail to overlook anything. After you have taken in all you can, I think you will find that you agree with me about my decision to bring these six to Hogwarts."

Slowly, everyone in the room turned to the papers and began reading. The first packet was written as such:

**NAME: KUWABARA, KAZUMA**

**AGE: **16

**GENDER: male**

**OCCUPATION: **Student, second best street fighter in Tokyo

(Second page)

**ABILITIES: **strength, fist fighting, excellent control of spiritual powers

**STRENGTHS: **PHYSICAL**: 8 **MENTAL**: 7 **SPIRITUAL**: 8.5**

Second Packet

**NAME: YUKINA **

**AGE: **17

**GENDER: female**

**OCCUPATION: **care taker and healer at local temple belonging to one, Genkai

(Second page)

**ABILITIES: **accomplished in healing

**STRENGTHS: **PHYSICAL**: 4 **MENTAL**: 8.5 **SPIRITUAL**: 7.5**

Third Packet

**NAME: URAMESHI, YUSUKE**

**AGE: **16

**GENDER: **male

**OCCUPATION: **Captain of Team Urameshi, top street fighter in Tokyo, part-time student

(Second page)

**ABILITIES: **Speed, strength, agility, highly developed control of spiritual powers

**STRENGTHS: **PHYSICAL**: 10 **MENTAL**: 8.5 **SPIRITUAL**: 10**

Fourth Packet

**NAME: HIEI**

**AGE: **17

**GENDER: **male

**OCCUPATION: **Former mercenary, current occupation unknown

(Second page)

**ABILITIES: **speed, agility, swordsmanship, master of his spiritual energies

**STRENGTHS: **PHYSICAL**: 9.5 **MENTAL**: 9 **SPIRITUAL**: 9.5**

Fifth Packet

**NAME: MINAMINO, SUUICHI (KURAMA)**

**AGE: **17

**GENDER: **male

**OCCUPATION: **student, former bandit

(Second page)

**ABILITIES: **Speed, agility, strength, green thumb

**STRENGTHS: **PHYSICAL**: 9 **MENTAL**: 10 **SPIRITUAL**: 9.5**

Sixth Packet

**NAME: HIGURASHI, KAGOME**

**AGE: **17

**GENDER: **female

**OCCUPATION: **Student, Miko of Sunset Shrine

(Second page)

**ABILITIES: **knowledge of herbs, healing, and purification, archer

**STRENGTHS: **PHYSICAL: **6.5 **MENTAL: **8.5 **SPIRITUAL: **9**

Exactly thirty minutes later, Dumbledore called everyone's attention back to himself. No one had said a word the entire time. Solemnly, he announced that the teens were now open for discussion and questions. The first person to speak was Tonks. "Headmaster, Sir. On a few of these, there are question marks after **AGE**. What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what the question mark implies, Nymphadora. Several of the students' exact ages are not known."

"Why not?" Tonks asked, her ears twitching as they changed forms.

Dumbledore paused, as if calculating the best way to put his next words. "The students' spiritual powers have taken forms that no one in the Western world has seen before. That includes the Wizarding world. The children's natural-born abilities have been enhanced by the…quality of their powers."

"Different forms? Enhanced abilities? What do you mean? Come out with it, man," Mr. Weasley demanded.

Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. The room stilled. "I have taken every precaution to insure that these students are not dangerous--"

"So you mean to say that they _are_ dangerous, then? Would you endanger our children just to bring foreigners in to the school, when it sounds to me like they've got their powers perfectly under control!" Mrs. Weasley's hair was sticking out on its ends and her cheeks were as red as watermelon.

Other voices joined Molly's protest.

"How do we know we can trust them?"

"The Ministry will have your neck for bringing strangers into our school unchecked!"

"And I thought the _werewolf _was bad!" At this, Professor Lupin's expression darkened, but he said nothing.

More and more questions were rapid-fired at Dumbledore, who sat silently until all of the shouts and accusations had died out. "Now," he said calmly. "To answer Molly's question. The children in question have all had extraordinary lives, even by wizarding standards. Their powers are highly enhanced and are not to be trifled with. However, as I said, every measure has been taken to observe them and it has been found that everything they do, they do for the betterment of their surroundings."

Snape, who had been leaning against the wall, half in shadow, asked, "…And what exactly is it that they _do_, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore raised a finger to his lips in thought. "That, I think, is information best kept until a later time." At that, the room became restless. "Are there any more questions?"

"Headmaster," Snape said quietly, remaining silent until he had everyone's attention.

"Yes, Severus? Please, ask whatever you wish."

"It sounds as if these 'detectives' are doing well enough without coming to Hogwarts. Why do you insist that they come here?" His monotone drawl made Tonks shiver.

Dumbledore paused thoughtfully for a moment before answering. "I think, Severus, that I want the children to come to Hogwarts because they wish to become stronger and broaden what they already know. They have nearly reached their full potential already—in their own culture, and using their own methods. Bringing them here would broaden their horizons and perhaps help them accomplish more things. Thus my invitation to them, should you agree to it."

Snape remained quiet for a moment before speaking again. "What about OWLS and NEWTS. How will they catch up?"

"I believe that they should be brought into a surrogate family and take lessons from the teachers whose classes are the most important, such as Defense, Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions; then, depending on their level of successes, they will be placed into the classes with the Year that they are best suited to.

"If they all end up with the first years, so be it, and if they all advance well enough to be a sixth year, that will be acceptable as well."

There was a pregnant pause and Professor Lupin spoke up. "I understand the chances you are taking, Headmaster, bringing in students that could very well be considered dangerous. Perhaps I understand these risks better than anyone here. It is because of this risk you're taking, that I feel obligated to stick my neck out. I would be honored to teach these six Defense this summer."

Flitwick and McGonagall too spoke up in thoughtful agreement. Only Snape was left to agree, and at all of the expectant stares, he sighed in resignation. "It would appear that I have no choice in the matter."

"Splendid!" Dumbledore smiled. I will send the owls tomorrow. If at anytime you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to ask. You all are free to go, but I ask that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stay behind."

The room emptied and soon only the Weasleys and Dumbledore were left.

"Molly, Arthur, you and your family has faithfully served the Order for many years. Because of this, I find you trustworthy enough that I would ask you if you would be willing to take in the students. Of course I would pay for the renovations of your household, and the addition of new rooms. Also consider all of their fees to be taken care of. All I ask of you is the use of your home for the summer."

"Well…" the couple glanced at each other. Mr. Weasley was uncertain, and Mrs. Weasley was considering. They whispered to each other for several minutes, then turned back to Dumbledore. "We'll do it. Just so long as the renovations won't disrupt the rest of the house."

"I'll order it done as soon as I get the replies from the students. Thank you; I am deeply grateful."

"Well, when do they come!" Molly giggled girlishly and clapped her hands.


	2. The Unselfish Wish

**Chapter Two: The Un-Selfish Wish**

"Kagome, what's going to happen when you fuse this together with the rest of the Jewel?" Shippou asked, hopping into Kagome's lap where she sat under the God Tree. She was turning the last fragment over and over in her hands, her skin prickling where it touched her skin.

She wouldn't tell anyone else, but the last fragment felt different than the rest of the Jewel. To her sight only, the shard was a different shade than the rest of the nearly complete Jewel…it was darker, somehow. As she held it between her fingers, she felt the urge to throw it far from her.

"I'm…not exactly sure, Shippou. That's why I'm waiting to fuse it until I've got all of my stuff with me and we've all said…You know…just in case I…" Kagome trailed off, not willing, or perhaps not able to finish the sentence.

"Kagome?"

She turned at the soft query to see a somber InuYasha staring at her. She was immediately concerned. "What's the matter, InuYasha?"

"Can we…talk?"

"Of course we can! Shippou, why don't you go back down and see if Kaede needs any help?" The kit complied and Kagome slipped the shard into her breast pocket as she made room for InuYasha. He settled beside her. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?" she asked.

"Naraku…" he began, uncertainly.

Kagome tensed at the mention of his name. "…What about him?"

"He was…deafeated."

"Of course he was. You were the one that defeated him!" Kagome laughed, but the sound was off. She added in a graver tone, "I was there, after all."

"_And so was Kikyou," _Kagome thought in the privacy of her mind.

"But, now that we've got all of the shards, when you fuse it all back together, I have to make my wish…"

Kagome leaned over to meet his eyes, as his head was bowed down low. She read his expression instantly and said softly, "You don't want to become a full demon anymore." It wasn't a question.

"…No…"

"What do you want, then?" Kagome asked, genuinely curious now.

"I want…Listen, Kagome."

"I am." She replied patiently, leaning forward on her elbows. "Tell me whatever you need to say."

"Right. Uh…Kagome, I…uh…How do I say this, um…Kagome…Kagome…" He seemed only capable of repeating her name.

"What's wrong?" she asked with concern now, putting an arm around his shoulders. This seemed to only make it worse and without a word, he drew her into a tight embrace that squished the breath from her lungs. After several seconds, Kagome realized that he had little intention of letting go anytime soon.

She wrapped her arms around his back and squeezed. "It's okay, InuYasha. Just take your time."

She got a harsh laugh from her shoulder for that. "That's funny. That's the one thing that we have the least of."

"What?" Kagome asked, her arms slackening.

"Kagome, I don't…want you…to…go…"

Kagome recoiled slightly in surprise and partial shock, then returned his hug with gusto. "I don't want to go, either. But, we don't know what will happen when the Jewel grants the wish."

"I want my wish to be that you can stay with us forever."

"Now InuYasha," Kagome said in a slightly reprimanding tone, although her face was still buried in his hair, "That could cause quite a lot of problems; forever is a long time."

"Not for us."

Kagome's eyes widened at this blunt admittance and didn't know what to say. Suddenly, she really _thought_ about living life without InuYasha, or Shippou, or Sango or Miroku.

"_I…can't_." Came her shocked reply. "_I can't see myself without them. I honestly can't think of living my life without them."_

She'd been trying not to think about the whole situation for a long time, and she'd been doing a pretty good job of it. Something that felt a lot like Reality hit her full force.

"You're right. You're absolutely right, InuYasha." Kagome pulled back from the extended embrace. "But…" her voice fell and she lost her eye contact with the hanyou. "But, I can't stay in the Sengoku Jidai. I…I wish that you all could come and live with me in my time."

"We couldn't do that either, Kagome." InuYasha shook his head sadly. "We don't belong five hundred years in the future…Anymore than you belong here."

"But…Oh, but! It feels like home to me, InuYasha!" Kagome protested, ignoring what she'd just said moments earlier. "This time, these places, you all just feel so _right_ when I'm here! I can barely stand my own time anymore! I miss my Mom and Grandpa and Souta and Buyo, but I really feel like _this_ is where I belong!"

"But you were born in the future, Kagome. Obviously, that's where you were meant to stay."

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! But--you said that you want me to stay. Now you're telling me that I don't belong here! What do you really mean?"

"I'm just trying to say, that I…just…want you to be…happy…"

Kagome paused and her brilliant blue eyes clouded over, filtering in colors of light gray. "InuYasha, there's something that you want to say and you're not saying it. What is it? What did you _really_ want to talk to me about?"

InuYasha seemed flabbergasted for a moment and his jaw hung slightly slack. "Kagome, I—"

"Yes?" Kagome prompted.

"Kagome, I—" He stopped himself, unable to go on.

They sat there for a few minutes, not saying a word to the other, despite knowing what they each needed to say.

Suddenly, InuYasha stood up. "Let's go back to Kaede's and be with the others for awhile." His voice had a distant quality, as though his mind were miles away.

Kagome stood as well, smoothing her skirt nervously. His change in mood had been so abrupt. "O—Okay. Alright." The hanyou took her by the hand and they walked back to the village together.

Kagome spent the day playing with Shippou and Kirara, and helping Kaede sort and measure some dried herbs. Sango helped Kagome with the basic blocks for self-defense that she'd been drilling into the young miko. Miroku and Kaede sat down with her to work on her meditation and later the control of her purification powers. InuYasha watched over them silently all day, and then through the night as well. His golden eyes never seemed to leave Kagome, as she lay down by the fire to sleep. After she was fully asleep, he crept over to her.

InuYasha's gaze softened as he saw Shippou cuddled against his surrogate mother. Then another thought crossed his mind and his expression faded to a detached sort of sadness. Kneeling beside Kagome, he allowed himself to caress her cheek with one long claw. He brushed the hair from her face, memorizing the way it felt against his skin.

Kagome stirred in her sleep and mumbled his name. Gently, InuYasha shifted her until he could reach into the pocket below the lapel of her shirt. A dull sensation of power emanated from within the confines of the fabric. Quickly, he extracted the final shard. As his palm closed over the fragment, he found that its pulsating power no longer held sway over him. He sighed softly, almost inaudibly. Then he swept Kagome's thick mane of hair away from the nape of her neck and un-hooked the necklace that held the pearlescent Shikon No Tama.

Kagome began to awaken, and InuYasha's eyes softened and gleamed in the low firelight as he took in every detail about her. "I _let _you be second to her. Now I'm going to put you first."

The miko's eyes fluttered and she lifted her head. "InuYasha?" She asked in question. When she saw that he held the Jewel and the last shard, she gasped softly, "What are you doing?"

One fang showed as InuYasha attempted a smirk, but grimaced instead. "I'm putting you first. I'm making my wish."

Kagome sat up suddenly, disrupting Shippou from her lap. He awoke with a shout that roused everyone in the hut.

"What's going on? Kagome?" Sango asked, rubbing her head.

"InuYasha, what do you think you're doing!" Shippou demanded, as he had seen the Jewel before Sango.

Miroku was still and silent, his eyes searching InuYasha for unspoken answers.

InuYasha's eyes didn't move from Kagome, but he replied, "I'm setting things right. If I don't, it will all begin again."

"InuYasha," Kagome murmured, tears glistening in her eyes. "Don't—You don't know what will happen."

He remained silent.

Kagome's tears spilled over as she reached for him. "Not yet. Please, not yet, InuYasha. There has to be another way!"

"There isn't. I've made too many mistakes before, Kagome. I'm going to make sure that this time I do the right thing."

"What if it's not right?" Kagome demanded, rising to her knees, but not able to bring herself to touch him. The hanyou was silent and still, his gaze never leaving hers. There was misery in his eyes, but resilience and the most haunted look Kagome had ever seen.

"Don't do this to us! We love her too, InuYasha!" Shippou cried, grabbing on to Kagome.

The miko pressed the kit to her side, but even as she did, she knew that InuYasha was right. There was no way to escape what was coming next. She saw the future looming before her, gaping wide and dark and empty. She didn't make another sound until he brought the shard to the Jewel and closed his hands together, and then she shouted.

Sango, Miroku, and Shippou lunged for the hanyou, cries of outrage on their lips. They were stopped suddenly by a brilliant white light that flashed through InuYasha's hands, blinding them all.

All of a sudden, a streak of light the color of miasma joined the blaze of purity and Kagome yelled something incoherent. In her mind, she heard the priestess Kikyou's last words: "A curse on you! I will live in your heart and soul for every day you wake, and in every step you take, I will be there! Never will you forget, _priestess_. You will never be whole again!"

Kagome collapsed forward and InuYasha tried to reach for her, but found that his hands were locked together. The flash of purple faded as the light intensified and the world went still.

An ethereal voice, neither male nor female spoke. "_Your wish."_

InuYasha's eyes blinked and he looked around him, at his traveling companions and his friends, all completely frozen in the moment. His gaze returned to Kagome, who was looking at him with hopelessness in her eyes. "For Kagome to be where she belongs." He paused, as if there was more that he wanted to add. Then he whispered, "That is my wish."

Suddenly, the world moved in real time again. The light faded quickly as the Jewel left InuYasha's hands and returned to Kagome. It passed through the material of her skirt and through the skin of her hip, where it had hidden for so many years.

After the bright flash, the dim residue of the fire made the room seem black.

Kagome whispered in the dark, "InuYasha…"

There was a silence, and then Kagome began to glow an unearthly blue. She panicked and looked around the hut, reaching out for the hands of her friends. She may have called out their names, but suddenly everyone was holding on to her, even InuYasha. His grip was the strongest, even as her body began to soften and blur like the light of a dying sunset.

Kagome's form faded more quickly now, and she heard Shippou fall to the ground as her lap disappeared. Faster and faster, her body melted away as Sango and Miroku lost their grip on her.

Then there was only InuYasha, who cradled her face between his hands. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks when she told him, "I love you," Her voice was distant and echoed.

His golden eyes burned as he replied, "I know," He blinked.

And she was gone.


	3. Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind

**Author's Notes :** I took some liberties with Kurama and Kuwabara's heights. Apologies if I'm incorrect and/or wildly off base.

**Chapter Three: Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind**

It was an odd sensation, really. It was somewhat like when she fell through the well. Only, this time, it was different. This time, she watched as her entire body dissipated into nothing and then, she was flung headlong back into her own time.

Her last memory of the Sengoku Jidai was of InuYasha's molten gold eyes staring into her own, mimicking the cry of her heart as she was torn from her friends' grasps. The heat of his hands on her cheeks was burned into her memory.

"_This is wrong,"_ her heart was telling her. "_I love Mom and Souta and Grandpa, but this is wrong! I need them! I __**need **__to be with them!"_

The world was spinning in a whirl of multicolor and Kagome was simply along for the ride. When she was finally set back on her own two feet, she looked up with hooded eyes and saw the Goshinboku, standing tall and straight as ever, though its bark had knurled and twisted considerably over the last five hundred years.

Kagome was utterly dispirited and lost. How was she supposed to go on living a 'normal' life, after all that she'd been through? Nothing could possibly compare to living every day on a razor's edge, waiting and expecting to be attacked at any given moment of any given day.

Nothing could possibly come even close to giving her the same amount of pleasure and pain. Nothing could compare to the loss she felt. For her, it was only a few moments ago that she had told InuYasha the words that had been on her lips for months.

For him, it had been five hundred _years_ worth of waiting. Was he alive? The mere thought made her heart clench unbearably in her chest.

What of Shippou, Sango, Kirara, and Miroku? "_What could I expect?"_ she thought.

Her beloved little Shippou and Kirara? And what about Kouga and his wolves? Sesshoumaru and Jaken? They were all full demons…had they survived? Would she ever see their faces again? Had they been reincarnated into other beings? Lived and died already? Who knew…Half of an entire _one thousand _**years**…Gone in the passing of a moment.

Who had kept InuYasha from throttling her poor kit? Who would comfort him when he woke up from a nightmare? What about Sango and Miroku? Surely they had gotten married and had a large family; she'd expect no less from Miroku, but she wouldn't to see their kids grow up. She'd never get to see InuYasha again…

Tear after tear was trickling down Kagome's face, and she let them come. She made no effort to resist when her mother came outside to see what all of the ruckus was about, and let herself be dragged inside, where she was allowed to cry as long and loud as she wanted.

But after an hour or so, she simply ran out of tears. She had no more energy to spare on crying and she was worn out. She fell asleep on the couch, curled up and facing into the upholstery, tired, empty, and heart broken. Her world was in pieces around her and the people she loved most were gone. _Gone._

In a matter of a month, Kagome lost ten pounds. She ate little, and her mother worried endlessly; she tried treating her with hot baths, lots of Oden, and hugs, but that helped only on the best of Kagome's days.

Mrs. Higurashi tried naturopathic treatments, but that too failed. Finally, she resorted to medication for depression. However, on the first night of taking it, Kagome was violently sick. Mrs. Higurashi decided to just try and wait it out.

The last three months of school were a disaster for Kagome. Her grades fell even more than they had when she was time traveling. Her average went down from B- to D-. Mrs. Higurashi made the decision to transfer Kagome to a private school for her final years of schooling.

Very slowly and not very steadily, Kagome began to eat a little bit more, and put on five of her ten lost pounds in the last month of school. However, she seemed to have lost all want for continuing her homework and keeping in contact with her friends. After they'd finally left her alone, she'd seemed less stressed.

She began to show interest in how Souta was doing in school, and more importantly (in her Grandfather's eyes, anyway) in the grounds work at their Shrine. Because of her interest, Kagome grew closer to her grandfather than she had ever been before. Some days she had to leave his side abruptly when one of his endless stories came too close to home. On other days, she clung to every word like a lifeline. Eventually, her grandfather learned what stories to avoid and he developed a sense of diplomacy that he had been lacking before.

Unknown to Mrs. Higurashi, Kagome was little better mentally, although she put up the front that she was hungry, that she was getting better. She really wasn't. She was merely sinking into the uncaring, unmoving sort of monotony of her every day life, breathing a sigh of relief when school was over for the year.

Now she could continue her uncaring, unmoving and sort of monotonous life _without_ having to deal with gossip, and stares, and homework. She was finding that when she had a structured life, it was much easier to pretend that everything was just fine, and she didn't have to deal with anything unexpected.

Then the letter came.

Mrs. Higurashi was sitting by Kagome on the couch, watching a little bit of TV, still not understanding the apparently complex little world and plot line of the anime that Kagome seemed to have become addicted to.

"What's this one called again, dear? Rando three-fourths?"

"It's Ranma one-half." Kagome chastised for the fourth time this episode.

"Oh, of course. That's what I meant." Mrs. Higurashi said, still trying to figure out who was who, or who was what, when there was a tap on the window beside them.

"Mom, could you get the door?" Kagome said, eyes sticking to the screen. "I don't want to miss anything, if that's alright."

"No, dear. There was something tapping on the window, I think."

"Huh?" Kagome turned her attention from the TV and focused on her mom. "The window? Why would anyone come to the window?"

"Why don't we find out?" Mrs. Higurashi pulled back the drapes and gasped softly. "It's…it's an owl. An owl with a harness and a letter on its foot…"

"What!" Kagome said, getting up and going to the window with her mom.

Looking as if she were waiting for something to jump out at her, Mrs. Higurashi opened the window and the owl flew right in, and perched on Kagome's shoulder. It pecked at her un-pierced earlobe until she finally got the hint to take the letter off of its leg. Slowly, Kagome ran her nail underneath the odd seal that was stamped in red wax.

"What does it say, Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi asked gently, looking over her daughter's shoulder.

Kagome replied by reading the letter aloud, in a dead toned voice.

"Dear Miss Kagome Higurashi and Mrs. Higurashi,

It is my pleasure to inform you that Miss Higurashi has been invited to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Miss Higurashi has been selected along with five other Japanese students to be offered to transfer to our fine Magic School for their remaining years of magical education. The arts of spelling, charming, and potion brewing will be taught. This is a priceless chance to experience the Magical world and its peoples. We hope that you will take advantage of this!

Our School has seven levels that are taught; ideally, Miss Higurashi will be joining her fellow students in that sixth grade. We realize that it will be difficult for Miss Higurashi to catch up with her year mates, we have found a way to fix this.

If replied to immediately, Miss Higurashi will be sent to spend the remainder of the summer with a host family, who will bus them to the lessons with the designated teachers, to help them catch up. At the end of the summer, they will be tested and their skill levels assessed, at which point they will be sorted into the most suitable year. Her schooling will continue until all of her classes have been passed at the seventh year level.

Please send your reply by way of the owl that delivered this letter. We thank you grandly and profusely.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

And

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Head Mistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"Well." Mrs. Higurashi said. "Apparently, your priestess powers have been building enough to notify these people, Kagome. I think this might be good for you."

Kagome couldn't tell if her mother was using sarcasm or if she was sincere. "Mom, are you serious about this? I mean, I've seen a lot of things I never thought possible, but _wizardry?_ And besides, even if this **isn't** all a hoax, it's all the way in Britain; halfway across the world! What about the language barrier?"

"Honey, English was the one class you kept at top level before, even after... You'll be fine."

"And I'd have to learn five years worth of—of—stuff in one summer!"

"I'm sure that if you had the incentive and the purpose, you could easily manage it, Kagome. You are really an excellent student, as long as you take the time."

Kagome paused. Her mother was deflecting all of her excuses as if it'd been planned. "But…Britain? They have funny accents; what if I can't understand them?"

Mrs. Higurashi laughed. "Honey, they'll say the same about you. You can't change your heritage."

This struck nerves with Kagome on numerous levels. Her first thought was Kikyo and her unforgettable last words. She shuddered just thinking about Kikyo's final end. Kagome just wasn't ready to face up with reality yet.

And then she began to actually consider and think about it. At first, it seemed so irrational. Journeying halfway around the globe just to go to some so-called Wizarding school that was probably a hoax anyway, and then to be taught five years worth of education in one summer…

And yet…

…Nobody would know about her past, her pain. Nobody would _know_ her. She could be whomever she wanted, and they couldn't hold it against her for it. She could start over and live the next two years as Kagome Higurashi; not Kikyo's Reincarnation, the Miko of the Shikon No Tama, InuYasha's wench, The Miko, etc, etc…She could be _herself_ with no strings attached. The more she considered it, the more appealing it sounded.

"But Mom, I'd have to leave you until next summer—a whole year!"

"Honey, if it will help you get out of the rut you're stuck in, that doesn't matter. I want you to go, and I want to you make new friends, and put the rest of this mess away until you're ready to deal with it." Mrs. Higurashi put her daughter's face in her cupped hands and smiled softly. "I just want what's best for you, Kagome. And I think this school might just be the ticket."

Kagome looked back into her mom's eyes and smiled her first true smile in three months. "That sounds good."

They sent the owl back with their reply the next morning, and another reply was received within three days, giving a detailed profile of her surrogate family for the summer, a list of basic supplies, and instructions on where to be and when to be "Portkey'd" to Britain.

Despite Kagome's insistence that she'd be wearing robes all year round, and didn't _need_ any new casual clothing, apparently Mrs. Higurashi's pocket was getting a little heavy, and needed a good eight-hour shopping trip.

Mrs. Higurashi dragged her reluctant daughter through five different stores before Kagome would buy a thing. When she did make her first purchase, it was a few outfits for casual dress, including three tops, khaki capris and blue jeans (size two; down two sizes from the last time Kagome had bought clothes).

Easily the most embarrassing moment for Kagome was when her mother hauled her into a lingerie shop, insisting that it was time she tried a thong.

"MOTHER!" Kagome cried out, going red to the roots of her hair. "If I wanted to have a wedgie all day, all I'd have to do is wedge my underwear up my butt! So why waste money on something that does the same thing, but costs more?"

"Oh, honey, I tried one when I was your age, and I loved them up until when gravity began taking over!"

Kagome, if possible, went even more scarlet. "Eww, Mom! I don't need to hear this! Bad images! Very bad images!"

Mrs. Higurashi completely ignored her and pulled her over to the wall where the racks of thongs were. "Now, I'll bet you're an extra small, Kagome…Oh! Here's one! Look, Kagome, it has _cherries _on it!"

Kagome wanted to crawl under the carpet and die when several girls and their boyfriends walked by the door and heard her mother's proclamation and turned to stare. "Mom!" Kagome called in an insistent whisper. "Shut. Up!"

"What's the matter, Kagome? It's certainly normal for a 'hot young chick' like you to be buying things like this!"

Now Kagome didn't want to die. She wanted to kill her mother and take her down too! "Mom…" Kagome whined. "Okay, okay…" She said, giving in and figuring that resistance would be futile and would only make her mother louder. "Umm…here, this one." Kagome randomly drew out one from the rack.

"Kagome…does that label say 'Scratch and Sniff'? Oh, my, I don't think I want you wearing one of _those_!"

Kagome's face was absolutely **purple**! "_Could my luck get any worse?"_ Kagome thought to herself, now _glad_ that she wouldn't be back to this mall for at least another year.

Just then, a sales woman came over, smiling. "Can I help you ladies with anything?"

Without hesitation, Mrs. Higurashi said, "Yes, my daughter is looking for her first thong!" She said with pride.

"_What did I ever do to her?"_ Kagome pondered as the sales woman turned a bright…but somehow mocking, cruel, and twisted smile on her.

"Well, why don't you tell me what you might be looking for?"

"Uh…" Kagome said. "Something plain, not anything…dirty. Or painful, for that matter." She didn't mention that all of them looked disturbing and painful.

"Well, then…An extra small for you, I believe?" she eyed Kagome's narrow hips with a critical eye.

"Yeah." Kagome's voice cracked.

"Okay! Here we are! These ones right here are plain, solid colors. Do you like these?"

"Uh—"

The saleswoman cut her off. "Well, then, here, what about these three?" The woman held out a blue, red, and black thong, with a tiny metal embellishment hanging off of the back.

Kagome couldn't decide which was worse; having your mother handle your future undergarments or some stranger. She decided immediately that the saleswoman was definitely better, because her mother decided right then and there to ask about their selection of bras, since, "_Kagome (that's her daughter, by the way), only has one or two"_.

The lady gave her a slightly apologetic look and asked her about her cup size.

"_Oh dear Kami,"_ Kagome thought.  
_Just kill me now and save my mother the trouble…" _She said quietly "32 B," and the woman rushed off. She returned soon with the choices that Kagome picked the plainest of. Her mother in turn paid for it and the thongs at the counter.

It took twenty minutes for Kagome's face to return to normal color, and even then, she faintly blushed anytime that they passed a shop with undergarments visible through the storefronts. She finally forgave her mother when Mrs. Higurashi bought her a waffle cone of strawberry ice cream.

"Mom," Kagome said as she was hauled into a collectibles shop. "Mom, we've _got_ to stop shopping! I won't need any of the stuff we've been looking at. And besides, I have to pack as little as possible, because I'll have to buy a lot more once I get over there!"

"Well, then consider these as things to cheer you up when you get homesick." Mrs. Higurashi said, as they finally sat down in the hall on one of the benches. Mrs. Higurashi had just bought a set of lucky cats for her daughter's new bedroom.

Kagome sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay…but can we leave soon? My feet hurt!"

Mrs. Higurashi laughed and nodded. "Alright, dear. Besides, if that letter was right, they'll be here tomorrow at nine and we've got some matters left to take care of."

Kagome's interest was pricked. "Like what?"

"Oh, I've got to cancel your subscription to that magazine you get, your phone line that you never use anymore, empty your bank account so you can take it over there, put your room up for rent…"

"MOM!" Kagome cried, giggling, but nervous all the same.

"Oh, dear! I was just kidding! I was just kidding!" Mrs. Higurashi amended. "So, shall we go then?"

"Yes, let's." Kagome agreed, and the two women went home, with Kagome feeling much more light-hearted than she would admit.

They returned home and Kagome set about unpacking the dust collectors, the few clothes and her new lingerie. However, upon seeing those particular items, she grimaced and packed them at the very bottom of her bag.

Kagome had also requested and received two new pairs of pajamas. One was a cotton, baby blue tank top and black boxers for summer use, and a long, dark blue, silky nightgown with lacy hems and a V-cut neckline for—well, Kagome really wasn't sure, but the material was so soft, she hadn't been able to tell her mother no. She also bought a wonderful terry cloth robe for winter and for trips back and forth between bathroom and dorm.

The young miko packed a spare set of shoes into the corner of her large yellow bag, along with her pajamas and fuzzy slippers. Kagome couldn't help but be reminded of all of the times that she'd done this, except she'd never packed for such a long time before.

While packing, Kagome came across the red leather covered album she'd put together many months ago, before Naraku was defeated. Inside of it were all of the pictures she'd ever taken while in Sengoku Jidai. It was a large book, and a quarter of it was still empty.

Kagome didn't even open it. Instead, she shoved it under her bed, wiping tears from her eyes and forcing the unwanted emotions back down into the cavity she'd built in her heart.

Finally, her clothing and knick-knacks had been packed, leaving out only an outfit for the next day. She set her clock for 7:30 A.M and took a last look around her room, carefully converting everything to memory. She wouldn't see it again for more than a year.

There was her desk, with some books and old binders and pencil holder and lamp, with papers sticking out of the drawers. Her dresser had been virtually emptied, as had her closet, her clothes put in vacuum-sealed bags, to stay fresh for her return. Her shelves still had most of their various pictures of her family and old friends, gathering dust.

Kagome closed her eyes and fell back onto her bed, falling asleep almost as soon as she'd struggled underneath the covers.

The next day, at exactly nine o'clock, Kagome was giving out last-minute hugs, her two suitcases already by the door, when there was a knock.

Kagome hesitantly opened the door, to find a Japanese woman dressed as a punk rocker, complete with brightly colored hair, chain links and all. She stuck out a hand that was gloved in something that looked like leather. Kagome shook it slowly, trying to decide whether or not her bright red eyes were real or were just colored contacts. Either way, her bloody gaze and bobbed hair cut made Kagome's stomach churn as she thought of the wind sorceress from so long ago.

The stranger's Japanese was very poor, and her accent was strongly western, as she tried to read off of a note card and fumbled over half of the words. Kagome stopped her in the middle of her speech and told her, "There's no need for that, miss. I can speak English just fine."

The woman smiled, showing slightly sharpened teeth. "So…You're Kagome Higurashi, aren't you?"

Kagome nodded, forgiving her mishap of putting her first name before her last. "I am. Are you here from Hogwarts?"

"No, but I was sent by Dumbledore himself to see that we get safely back to England and the Burrow, where you'll be staying for the summer. So…Have you gotten everything?"

Kagome slung her bags over her shoulders. "I think so. We've got that school owl out on loan until I can buy one of our own… And, I've got all of my stuff in these two bags."

"Well…I suppose those will do…but we'll just have to get you some good trunks at Diagon Alley. Anyhow, come along, Kagome; say your good-byes, and then we've got to get going!"

"Alright. Would you like to come in for a moment?"

Tonks nodded and stepped just inside the door.

"Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi asked. "Are you leaving now?"

"Yes, Mama. But I'd like you to meet…Oh…I guess I don't know your name, mis."

The woman smiled and stuck out her hand, then reconsidered and bowed low. "Nymphadora Tonks, at your service."

"Nee-fa—lee—de—la…?"

Nymphadora grimaced and put a hand behind her head to scratch her neck. "Uh…Just call me Tonks."

"Ah, that's _much_ easier." Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "Now, you'll be taking my daughter to these 'Wee-suh-lees' for the summer?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Very good. Please, on the plane, do not allow her to take the window seat; she gets airsick easily."

Tonks covered her mouth with her hand. "Uh, we won't exactly be traveling by air, Mrs. Higurashi."

"Oh no?"

"Uh…no. We'll get there via this." She held up a broken Frisbee.

"…" Both mother and daughter were looking up at her with hypothetical question marks over their heads.

"It's a Portkey. In exactly…DAMN! Say goodbye, Kagome, cause we've got thirty-three seconds—thirty-two! Before we're off!"

"Oh!" Kagome cried, hugging her mother greatly, then doing the same to Souta and her grandfather.

"Hurry, hurry! Grab onto your bags! Three…Two…One…See you later, Higurashis!"

There was a pull somewhere behind Kagome's navel, and suddenly the world seemed to melt and she couldn't tear her hands from her bags or Tonks's grasp. The sensation was very similar to another that she was familiar with. Finally, her feet were set down on solid ground.

"Well, we're here!" Tonks exclaimed.

"Where?" Kagome asked, eyeing the towering, very un-symmetrical house.

"The Burrow, of course! Come on, Higurashi! You've got LOADS to do!" Tonks hauled her to the house.

"Didn't you say something about five other Japanese coming here, too?"

"Oh, yeah! They're already here. I picked them up at seven." Her face fell and her voice lowered, like she was trying to decide whether she was amused, afraid, or putout. "A couple of them didn't quite like having to get up so early…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" Tonks was cut off, as there was a major explosion of massive blue, gold, black, and green light from behind the house. "Oh no." Tonks said darkly.

"Oh no, what? What's going on?"

"Either Fred and George just got annihilated, or those boys are 'practicing' again…"

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Come on, let's see what fireworks they're doing now." Tonks said, now seeming somewhat excited to get to watch the boys 'practice'.

They crossed into the garden just as four young men were retiring indoors. Tonks and Kagome followed them inside. "Oi, who's the new girl, Tonks?" a helmet-haired boy asked, leaning comfortably against a counter.

"The other transfer I told you all about. This is Kagome."

"Uh…Hi?" Kagome said shyly.

The helmet-headed one looked away, muttering a quick "Hey."

"Oh, c'mon, gents! Introduce yourselves properly!"

A very tall young man (by Japanese standards, anyway) with unusually colored hair stepped forward, all chivalrous. "I am the Great Kuwabara!"

Kagome chuckled at this great proclamation and bowed to him. Her eyes turned expectantly to the shortest man she'd ever seen look so tall. His very stature screamed arrogance and pride. He probably barely cleared five feet high, not counting his gravity-defying hair. By the white, jagged stripes over his bangs, Kagome tried to figure out if he looked more like a skunk or a zebra. She doubted that he would let her get close enough to sniff him and find out.

The short man remained silent, even as Kagome's eyes silently urged him to introduce himself. Tonks helped (more like prodded) him by poking him in the shoulder. "Oh, come on, don't be such a stiff!"

He glared at her, and Kagome noticed for the first time the blood-and-ice eyes this man possessed. "Woman…" he said warningly, then quelled his temper and glanced at Kagome, appraisingly. "Hiei."

Kagome replied with a deep bow, as it seemed that would be the only show of courtesy that would give him a good impression of her. "A pleasure, Hiei."

"She says that now; just wait until she gets to know him." The youth by the counter said.

Kagome turned to ask him what on Earth he meant, when her eyes caught on the _most_ unusual Japanese man she'd seen since Sengoku Jidai. He had untamed, exquisite cherry-red hair that fell in a rumpled mess to the middle of his back. He had curious, observant green eyes.

Truth be told, Kagome hadn't seen such a beautiful man manage to look so masculine since Sesshoumaru. "Who are you?" Kagome asked, her bright blue eyes looking him over carefully. She got the sense that Hiei and this man were not quite human; she got the same vibe off of the youth at the counter, though it was not as much of a strong of feeling from him.

The red head smiled at her, making Kagome wonder if he kept that grin in check for when he wanted to be especially charming. He seemed to have stolen her trick for smiling on command. "I am Suuichi Minamino; but called Kurama by my friends."

"Ah…It's nice to meet you then." She dipped in a short bow, still trying to calculate 'Kurama'. Kagome turned to face the boy now sitting up on the counter. "And who are you?"

If this boy had a cowboy hat, it would have been pulled low over his eyes, so that when he looked up, all you would be able to see was the shadow of his eyes, and the glimmer of a smirk. His attitude was so reminiscent of InuYasha, Kagome's eyes watered and stung.

"Ah…" Kagome stuttered, backing slowly away from him, her eyes alight with something not quite like fear. She bumped into Hiei as she was backing up, and he snarled inhumanly at her. Kagome automatically went into a defensive stance, her probes going out to try and discern his power and breed.

She felt his barriers come up instantly, nearly trapping her inside of his mind. Kagome pulled back physically as well as mentally, this time falling into Kuwabara, who had come up behind her when he sensed her power flare.

Hiei's pupils dilated and he glared at her with a look that might've turned her to stone. "Woman. What were you doing!"

Kagome rubbed her head and returned his glare as Kuwabara set her back on her feet. "That HURT, you JERK!"

Hiei pulled back just slightly, her outburst unexpected. He fixed his glare back on properly and stared at her unblinkingly. "What were you doing." He prodded again, this time with more firmness.

Again, Kagome did not reply with an answer to his question. "Just what kind of demon ARE you!"

This made Hiei flare with a new ferocity. "How could you know that!"

"I just DO, okay Mr. Stick Up My Butt!"

Hiei took a step forward. "You dare!"

Just then, Kurama stepped in-between them. "Hiei, no. Miss Higurashi, you will please refrain from antagonizing him further."

Kagome's temper flared again. "Me! HE was the one being so defensive! HE was the one who got all jumpy and tried to trap me in his head!"

"Which is a place you should not have been in, in the first place!" Hiei retorted. Kurama was doing everything to keep him back except using physical force, which would no doubt set Hiei off for sure.

"I can't help it! You're an unfamiliar demon, it's my nature to investigate--" Kagome stopped suddenly, her eyes turned to Kurama as her miko powers were prowling the area for more demons.

"Who mixed to get _your_ breed!? You're not a hanyou, are you? No, no," she reprimanded herself. "You couldn't be…He doesn't resemble…" Kagome turned now to face Kurama fully, completely mystified that she couldn't identify his breed. "What kind of demon _are_ you?"

Now it was Kurama's turn to be a little miffed. This girl was making accusations of mixed blood? Taking a deep breath, Kurama told her briefly that an ancient kitsune named Youko inhabited half of his soul.

Kagome nodded, her eyes holding something akin to understanding in them. "I see. I can sympathize."

"Huh?" this caught the attention of the young man who had reminded Kagome of InuYasha. "You ain't no hanyou."

Kagome snorted. "Of course not! What I meant was, I know what it feels like to have half of your soul missing."

This made Hiei calm down completely, now eyeing her with some bridled curiosity. "How so?"

Kagome shrugged carelessly, but new pain and fresh emotional wounds showed clearly through her misty blue eyes. "It's a long…long…story. Maybe I'll tell you later."

Hiei was looking like she'd better tell him now, before he lost his patience, but Kurama gave him a slight mental push to stop. '_Not now,'_ Kurama told him. Reluctantly, he backed down, his eyes still smoldering.

Just then, Kagome got another chill down her spine, and she whirled around, expecting to come face to face with another temperamental demon, but instead caught her eyes on a very serene girl who appeared to be her own age.

Kagome was about to inquire about the girl's name, when the girl lifted her head, large red eyes crinkling as she smiled and bowed to Kagome. Kagome bowed back, unable to keep her eyes off of this lovely lady. She was a demon, yes. She couldn't tell what type, but she radiated a chill from her soul, and her overall personality was calm and loving and warm.

Kagome straightened and then her eyes widened at a sudden realization. She turned from the lady and stared directly at Hiei. Kagome looked back and forth between them. Hiei was more lean and wiry versus this woman's more short, stoutly built body…but their height was shared, and their eyes were the confirming quality. Their twin crimson eyes couldn't have been more different for what they held within, but make no mistake that they were family.

'_She's quick,'_ Kurama remarked mentally to Hiei, who retorted with a brusque "Hn."

"Are you two—" but the still nameless man ducked in-between Kagome and Hiei to keep him from incinerating her.

"Ah…I'm Yusuke Urameshi, by the way. So, what's up with you? Am I really that scary to be backing away from?" Yusuke flashed her a smile that seemed completely out of place on his face.

Kagome leaned back, surprised at his outburst, but didn't have much time to get her balance back, when there was a loud _**BOOM**_ and a woman's shriek from upstairs. Kagome promptly fell to the floor of the kitchen, landing on her bottom with an indignant squeak.

The maiden in the doorway covered her mouth with a hand, hiding her smile, and murmuring, "Oh, my!"

Then, there was another shout, this time of outrage from upstairs. "**FRED WEASLEY!**"

"MOM! IT'S GEORGE! FRED'S IN LONDON!"

"**I DON'T CARE! YOU KNOW BETTER THAN SETTING OFF ONE OF THOSE THINGS INSIDE OF THIS HOUSE**!"

"HONESTLY, MUM! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! OWWW! MUM, NOT THE EAR! PLEASE, NO! DON'T THROW THAT OUT! IT TOOK A MONTH'S WORK OF PROTOTYPING! GYAAA!"

There was another explosion, and down the stairs slammed a robust woman with a shock of bright red hair, dragging behind her a boy almost a foot and a half taller than she by the ear as he protested loudly. Her face was a mask of fury until she saw Kagome. She promptly dropped her son's ear in favor of rushing forward and engulfing Kagome in such a hug that it squeezed the air from her lungs.

"Oh, my dear! You must be Kagome! Welcome! GEORGE! DON'T EVEN THINK OF SNEAKING OUT OF THIS HOUSE!" She almost blew out Kagome's eardrums, screaming so closely to her head.

The carrot top identified as George grimaced and slunk back to lean against the wall beside the cold maiden. He raised an eyebrow and muttered something to her, making her giggle. Hiei visibly restrained himself from ripping the young man's head off.

"As I was saying, my dear, welcome to the Burrow! GINNY!" There was an answering pounding of feet down the stairs, making the demon's eyes water just slightly.

Another red head peered over the top of the turquoise-haired demon and replied, "Yes, Mum?"

"Why don't you show Kagome up to one of the new rooms? George, you're off the hook for now, but take her luggage up for her."

He rubbed the back of his neck, his ears going red at the tips. "Come on, then, Miss." Fred said politely, something in his voice telling that he wouldn't normally be so formal, but for the presence of his hawk-like mother.

Kagome stifled a laugh behind a fake cough and followed Ginny up two flights of rickety stairs, finally emerging in a hallway that connected to the stairwell. This part of the house was very new and so well put together, that Kagome speculated it was a brand new addition specifically for them.

As if reading her mind, Ginny told her that this part of the house had been added on by some wizard architects because they were taking in Kagome and the others. She was led to the first door on the left, with two other doors across from her own. Obviously, she was sharing a room, as were the others. Deducing that it must be the maiden from earlier, Kagome got excited at the prospect of getting to know the girl better.

The door was pushed open and Kagome felt a slight, chill whisper of a breeze wrap around her, making her miko abilities buzz in reply. She assumed it was the girl's natural protectors around her things.

The first thing after the energy that Kagome noticed, was that the maiden had abandoned the tall, western-style bed in favor of a thin pallet with a sheet and one pillow. On the nightstand beside it was a lone drawstring bag, barely even half-full of her belongings. Either she traveled _very_ lightly or she did not have the luxury of many belongings.

Kagome thanked the siblings as they left the room. They told her that the rest of the family would be home in a few hours, since Fred and Ron were checking up on 'Harry', and their dad wouldn't get off of work for another three hours or so. Kagome nodded and turned to unpack her things.

But first things first, she did a running leap onto the huge, fluffy bed, immediately sinking a foot or so into the feather down. She snuggled deeper into the comfortable nest, the hand-sewn yellow and cream quilt rubbing softly against her cheek. After a few minutes of comfort, she dragged herself off of the bed and set to unloading her clothes into the large chest at the foot of her bed.

After completing that task, she looked more closely at the room, and found pale yellows and pinks taking up the majority of the décor; obviously, they had designed it with females in mind. There was a large window that overlooked the garden behind the house, tall walls and all, and she saw tiny creatures being chased around by Ginny and George, with Yusuke and Kurama looking on with interest.

Then, the door creaked open and Kagome turned to see the demon from earlier walk slowly in, her steps slightly hindered by the tubular restraints of her old-fashioned pale green and blue kimono and obi. Kagome bowed quickly and asked for her name.

The girl looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. "Yukina. I am a koorime."

So that explained the perpetual chill of her signature. Kagome had never met one of these ice maidens before, but had heard Kaede's legends about them. "I'm Kagome. Please forgive me if I seem over anxious to talk to you, but quite frankly, I've never felt a youkai with such a pure energy before!"

Yukina blushed slightly and ducked her head, averting her eyes politely. "Ah…Thank you, Miss Kagome."

"No, no!" Kagome waved her hands in a soothing gesture. "Not so formal, please! I feel like I have to impress somebody!"

Yukina's full face tilted and she nodded, eyes sparkling. Somehow, Kagome knew that they would become fast friends.

Over the next two hours or so, the two girls completely alienated themselves from the rest of the household, wholly immersed in a deep one on one talk that Kagome had not had since Sango, and that Yukina had only had tastes of with Botan, some with Genkai. It really was quite amazing how quickly they acclimated to one another's presence, and there seemed to be no topic they did not cover. Anything, from Kagome's initial questions about being a koorime, to their favorite kimonos, to colors, foods, jokes, stories…

Kagome even went so far as to tell her about her adventures in Sengoku Jidai (although briefly and without much plot or filler). Yukina had a bit of difficulty wrapping her mind around the idea of time traveling, but when she thought of all of the other things that had been made possible in her life, it didn't seem so far-out. They finally they ended up on their last topic: boys.

"Oh…_boys_…" Yukina said, when Kagome brought it up. "Oh…I don't think…Well…"

Kagome laughed. "Then let me start! You know that InuYasha guy I told you about a few minutes ago…? Well, he was a real jerk sometimes. Completely insufferable, egotistical, stubborn, loud-mouthed, obnoxious, dense…!!" Kagome broke down into a deep, sad sigh. "I love him."

Yukina touched her arm gently. "You mean…_loved_, right, Kagome?"

Kagome's face fell and her bright blue eyes softened. "…Yeah. I guess I did "_loved"_ him…"

"I'm sorry, Kagome. Obviously this is still too fresh for you to be talking about it."

Kagome nodded and turned reddened eyes to Yukina, smiling slyly. "So…you got anybody sweet on you?"

Yukina blushed up to her hairline at this, giving Kagome all of the answers that she needed. "Oh, who is it? Who is it!"

"I—" She was interrupted when there came a knock at the door, before it was pushed open by Kuwabara.

"My Love!"

Kagome sweat-dropped and muttered, "Well, I guess I have my answer…"

"The rest of the family just got home, and Mrs. Weasel—Wheezy—Yeah…Anyway, she wants you—oh, yeah, and you Kagome, to go down and meet them."

"Ah, thank you, Kazuma…" Yukina said, smiling.

"Not a problem, sweetheart!" He practically skipped out of the room.

Kagome turned a sly eye to Yukina, raising a brow. Suddenly, her eyes got large and puppy-like, pouncing on her new friend and giving her a quick hug. "Oh, how completely _sweet_ of him! You'll be great together, I just know it!"

Of course, this made Yukina even more embarrassed, and she flapped her hands to shoo Kagome away. "Come on, we better go down now."

"Spoil sport!" Kagome said, setting them off into giggles like neither had in a long time.

The two came down the rickety, creaking stairs and into the kitchen, where Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, George, Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara waited along with George's twin, another young man with the same red hair, and an adult they supposed was Arthur Weasley. Arthur smiled grandly at all of them, kissed his Missus, hugged Ginny, and slugged his sons on the back. He then turned his attentions to the newest additions to the Weasley family and shook each of their hands, bowing slightly in the process. "It is such a pleasure to have you here in our home for the summer, everyone! Now, you'll have to forgive me with your names—it's Molly's got all of the memorization skills in the family—but why not introduce yourselves now and get it all over with, hmm?"

They obliged and went down the line, spitting out their names in rapid-fire.

"Yusuke Urameshi."

"Kazuma Kuwabara."

"Kurama Minamino."

"Hiei."

"Kagome Higurashi."

"Yukina."

Mr. Weasley got a very over-whelmed look on his face and said, the tips of his ears going red, "Come again?"

They all complied and repeated their names again, slowly, this time leaving out surnames. Mr. Weasley had the strangest urge to call both Hiei and Yusuke "Who-Nan", earning laughs at the two men's expense. Kagome was quickly dubbed "Pinkie" for some strange, unknown reason to everyone except Arthur himself. Kuwabara became "Elvis", and Kurama was "Koomah". Yukina was the only one whose name he actually got right, a fact Yusuke immediately began bemoaning.

Mrs. Weasley was quick to introduce her other sons, Fred and Ron, who waved merrily, identical grins on their faces. Ginny interrupted her mother by announcing loudly and with point to _never_, under _any_ circumstances not fatal, to _ever_ accept any food or drink from the twins, lest what they were offered kill or maim them.

Kagome and Yukina exchanged humored, yet slightly nervous glances. From the explosion earlier, they'd heed Ginny's word. Mrs. Weasley announced that dinner was ready and they sat down at a long table with room enough for all elbows and knees. Kagome went to take a sip from her glass, but found it empty. Molly came around and asked her what she would like to drink, Kagome replying that water would be fine, and Molly whispering an incantation. Amazingly, sparkling water shot from the tip of her wand!

Mrs. Weasley repeated this process with all of the children except Fred and George, who were legally of age to practice magic, and conjured some sour apple juice (which supposedly turned your tongue acid green as you drank it). The meal was delicious; roasted chickens with sides of corn and potatoes with gravy. The Japanese found it a rather heavy meal, but figured that they could get used to it.

One of the first things Kagome noticed about her new housemates and future peers were their eating habits. Yukina was a very bird-like eater, and chewed her meal silently, making polite noises of appreciation; Ginny, on Kagome's right, ate similarly, but was very loud and nearly talked Kagome's ear off. Fred and George ate in almost complete synchronization; each lifting their glass and drinking and replacing it, moving fork to mouth and back with perfect timing. Their other brother, Ron, was a very messy, noisy eater who liked to talk with his mouth full.

Mrs. Weasley took small bites and talked much, except that she was sure to swallow before she replied to or asked a question, a point she over exaggerated, trying to pass this on to Ron, who was blissfully unaware. Mr. Weasley really ate almost nothing, being too interested in quizzing Yusuke and Kuwabara about living with Muggles.

Hiei and Kurama were both silent, Hiei eating nothing, and not even looking at his plate, and Kurama, not being interested in his food either, picked at it to be polite.

It became apparent about half way through the meal that Kuwabara and Hiei sitting side by side, along with Yusuke on Kuwabara's _other_ side was **not **a wise thing. Hiei made a brash, toneless comment to Kuwabara about eating like a horse, therefore developing the facial qualities of the beast.

Yusuke jumped in then, saying how that would be an insult to such a proud creature, which in turn, made Kuwabara ready to pound both his best friend and the 'Shrimp' unmercifully. Yusuke laughed in his face, telling him to bring it on, saying that he'd kick his ass any day of the week, any time of the day.

Mrs. Weasley was about to jump in, reprimanding Yusuke's use of language, but was quieted by her husband, telling her to see if they could resolve it without their interference.

The insults began to fly, slowly slipping into Japanese, leaving the Weasleys completely in the dark, but giving the others an excellent show. Apparently, the slander had crossed _somebody's_ border, as all three stood up at once, moving for the back door and out into the garden. The rest of them followed, Kurama leading them, but he mentioned over his shoulder that this often happened, and a good fight would relax them nicely.

This didn't exactly comfort the adults, but made the twins, Ron, and Ginny smile with anxiousness. George and Ginny had been witness to their group practice hours earlier, and had an idea of the fireworks to come, but Fred and Ron were unaware and about to be given quite the three-ring circus. Kagome was interested too, wanting to see how these others fought.

After quitting the garden, the three boys about to duke it out retreated to a nearby field. The Weasleys were about to follow them further, but Kurama held up his hand. "We will be able to see quite well from here. If we go any farther, we will be inside of the arena. By the looks of it, they are all ready to go. It would seem that they are going to agree on a hand-to-hand fight only."

Kagome nodded to no one but herself, as she watched the three men form an off-center triangle about thirty yards from the larger group. She watched in utter awe as Hiei charged Kuwabara, his figure blurring as he sprinted to the taller man. Kuwabara ducked at the last minute, but Hiei's fist glanced off of his right side, under his arm, making Kuwabara grasp that side, almost on his knees.

"What on Earth happened!" Mrs. Weasley cried. "We can't let this continue—it's not safe for them!"

Kurama chuckled. "Madame, you are mistaken in your thoughts. This is nothing to them; Kuwabara simply broke a rib; if Hiei had _wanted_ to wound him, he would have aimed higher and more to the left."

"But…you mean…that you don't consider a broken rib a 'wound'?"

Again, Kurama chuckled, his verdant eyes watching Yusuke go at Kuwabara all out, fists flying faster than the naked eye could see. He replied, "Compared to Yusuke's two deaths, Kuwabara's pass through another dimension, a faked death, and Hiei's former mercenary occupation…no. This is nothing."

Mrs. Weasley and the rest of them, excluding Yukina who already knew this, went pale. "Two deaths? M…Mercenary?"

"Yes. It's a long story." As he took in their befuddled and somewhat accusing stares, he figured that he might have to tell them that story…one day.

Suddenly, his senses tingled and his eyes watered slightly, as a sharp scent of mint overpowered his nose. Kurama turned quickly, to find Kagome gripping the material of her shirt nervously, her eyes fluctuating in a myriad of blue hues. "What's wrong, Kago—" he stopped when he felt another tingle, this time of growing Spirit Energy in the field where Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara still fought.

Kuwabara had his Spirit Sword in hand and was charging a crouched-down Hiei. Apparently they had decided to use their special abilities after all. Hiei dodged Kuwabara's mad swing with too much ease and nailed him in the back with a hard kick, forcing the man to eat dirt. The electric-like charge in the air was coming from Yusuke as he prepared to fire off his Spirit Gun at Hiei, aware that he was giving more than enough advance warning.

Suddenly, from behind him, a voice cried out. Turning, Kurama saw Kagome's eyes roll into her head. There was a blinding flash, followed by a scorching, yet pleasurable heat. It raced through his veins, lighting him on fire. Then, it was over. He looked over his shoulder and saw the shockwave roll over the three combatants, stopping them in their tracks. The trio stared directly at Kagome, who was blushing now and trying very hard not to look guilty.

Hiei blurred and was by her side in an instant. He grasped her arm, then withdrew, staring at the reddened skin of his palm and fingers. "Woman. What did you do?"

Kagome shook her head frantically. "I can explain! I just lost control of it—I haven't been around so much youki in so long that I just…over reacted…and I'm really, _really_ sorry that I hurt you, but I lost control…"

"Lost control of what?" Kuwabara asked, finally making his way over from their arena'. Apparently he'd not been listening to the conversation from earlier when they'd first met.

"My…miko…powers." Kagome whispered, not making eye contact with anyone.

This silenced the Japanese group, but left the Weasleys high and dry. "Miko powers? What's that?"

Kagome moaned and put her head into her hands, rubbing her temples. "If it's alright with everyone, I think I'm just going to go to bed now." Mrs. Weasley nodded as her mothering instincts kicked in. She ushered Kagome inside, patting her on the back and saying that she should get some extra rest.

The rest of the red headed family followed, considering the show to be over, and leaving the Tantei behind to consider this new turn of events. They'd known she was a miko…but they hadn't known her strength… She would've _had_ to be strong to have created such a blast of purifying energy. Yet the fact that she hadn't simply annihilated the demons showed that she had some control. This added a whole new dimension to their lives here in Britain and gave them much to consider.


	4. Diagon Alley

**Chapter Four: Diagon Alley**

"So…" Yusuke said that night as the four of them gathered in the room he and Kuwabara shared. "Kagome is a miko…that's not really good news for us, is it?"

"No." Kurama said softly. "It is not at all a good thing. Of all of us, Kuwabara is the only completely mortal one, meaning only he is not threatened by her."

"Then we should dispose of her before she does the same to us," Hiei said bluntly from his seat by the window.

"Hiei, you cannot just blindly rush into things like that. We do not know if she means us any harm or not."

"Was her explosion earlier not enough proof for you, Fox?" Hiei replied, turning around to face them now. "She could have incinerated all of us!"

"But she didn't. If she is as powerful as everyone here seems to think, including you, Hiei, she should've been able to fry every single one of us demons to a crisp, had she wanted to. And yet, she didn't, meaning either great control over her powers, or she meant us no real harm," Kurama replied readily.

"Hn." Hiei turned back to watch out the window.

"Ah, leave him alone; he's got his underwear lodged too far up his ass again," Yusuke said.

"How do you know that I wear underwear, Yusuke?" Hiei asked from his seat, not bothering to turn around.

Yusuke choked and went blue in the face. "Whoa there, little man! That's WAY too much information!"

Hiei replied with a "Hn," that seemed entirely too close to a chuckle for Yusuke's liking.

"Stupid demon…" the head Tantei muttered.

"What was that, _Yusuke_?" Hiei bit out, turning around slowly.

"I said—" Yusuke replied, fully intent on bringing about an argument.

"Yusuke…" Kurama said in a warning voice. "This is only our first night here; why don't you make an effort not to fight so soon into our summer here?"

"Yes, mother." Yusuke said with sarcasm.

"These people seem really nice," Kuwabara said, changing the subject.

"Yeah…a little on the weird side…"

"You're one to talk, Yusuke!" Kurama joked, chuckling and slapping his palms on his knees.

"Yeah, well…We're not the ones who wave around sticks all the time to do what we want. What we call 'Spirit Energy', they call 'magic'…and with their little wands and some 'wizard blood' in 'em, suddenly they're better than us."

Hiei made an indignant noise at this comment, but was ignored.

"Well, we'd best get used to it. It seems that this method is the only way that these people are able to produce 'magic'." Kurama noted sagely.

Suddenly, Yusuke said uproariously, "Man, that chick, Nympha-morona-what's-her-face…"

"Tonks, you mean, Yusuke?" Kurama interjected.

"Whatever. Man, she's a kick, ain't she?"

"She certainly is an…interesting individual," Kurama admitted.

"Oh, get off your high horse and come out with it! You almost shit yourself when she showed up with spiked green hair and that mini skirt!"

Kurama blushed and said nothing, making something that sounded suspiciously like chuckles arise from Hiei's corner. The kitsune sent a frigid stare at the back of the hybrid's head.

"Hey, guys, don't you think that we should start talking in English now?" Kuwabara asked, scratching his head.

"Yes, that would be beneficial…I stopped myself several times today from speaking our language…"

"And Urameshi was confusing the hell outta that Molly lady! He could hardly form a sentence of English!" Kuwabara added.

Yusuke brought his fist down on the top of his buddy's head. "Can it, monkey-ass. So what if I skipped out on English class a couple of times? I'll get it. It's not that hard."

This statement got non-committal noise from everyone, Hiei included.

"Ah, all of you just go to Hell!" Yusuke said, turning up his nose and crossing his arms childishly.

"Tomorrow is our last day off for a long time, guys…I think we should work in a little bit of an ass-kicking for Urameshi over here, so he doesn't get _rusty_!" Kuwabara said, punching his fist into his opposite palm.

Yusuke got a wicked gleam in his eyes and stood, fully willing to take him up on the offer there and then. "I'm willing!"

"Save it for tomorrow, Yusuke, since you obviously didn't get it out of your system earlier. Tomorrow you can put on as big of a show as you want for these people. As for me, I'm going to bed. I'll see you all in the morning." Kurama said, standing.

"Night, Kurama." Yusuke said, covering a yawn. "I think I'm gonna turn in, too. Night, all."

Kurama and Kuwabara replied, the former leaving to go the room beside Yusuke and Kuwabara's, and the latter crawling under the covers fully clothed, immediately asleep. Hiei shook his head and opened the window, jumping out and landing without a sound. He'd had enough ningen for one day, thank you, and now he was going to go rest (as he hardly ever slept) somewhere more appropriate…like a tree. Hn…Humans and their stupid sense of "_comfort"._

Kagome woke as the dawn light struck her eyelids in a quiet beckoning call she had learned to answer right away. She hadn't wanted to wake up, as she was having the most wonderful dream of being told a great legend by Kaede, having the sense that she was a young child, and was enchanted as the tale was revealed to her. Typically, right at the most exciting part, Kagome woke. She sat up, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then slid out of bed and stretched, reveling in the feeling of her back popping.

Yukina woke only minutes later, as she slept on the ground, beside the bed, and the light took a bit longer to reach her. "Good morning, Kagome-chan."

"Morning, Yukina. Did you sleep well?"

"I did, thank you."

Kagome wanted to laugh at how formal the koorime was, but supposed that she'd just been raised right and those practices were to be abided by where she came from. "Where is the bathroom? I think I need to get to know the rest of these people before I trust them well enough to show them my morning face…"

"It's just down this hall and across the way; the twins stained it bright yellow, so you can't miss it." Yukina instructed her.

"Stained it with what, I wonder?" Kagome asked rhetorically, making Yukina giggle as she began changing into her regular kimono.

Kagome found the bathroom with no trouble, but had some issues with working the knobs on the shower and bathtub. After about three minutes of fiddling around with the eight different knobs, a portrait of a blue fairy took pity on her and explained that the ones with the red and blue handles gave hot and cold water and the rest were shampoos. The two green ones were the twins', a pink one for Molly, a black one for Arthur, an orange one for Ginny, and a light blue one for Ron.

Knowing that Ginny wouldn't mind her borrowing some of her hair product, Kagome turned on the water, wet her hair, then twisted and pulled out on the orange handle which produced a clear, vanilla-almond scented soap into her hand. After washing her hair (and discovering that by turning the knob the opposite way, you were given conditioner), Kagome washed with one of the matching bars of soap that were lined up along the sides of the wall. As she rinsed off her legs, Kagome wished that she had brought her razor with her, as her legs felt as prickly as a porcupine's behind.

After about fifteen minutes of taking over the shower, Kagome stepped out of the tub, expecting to find a steam-clouded mirror, but found that it was as clear as day. Figuring that it was some sort of special ventilating, or more likely in this case, a sort of charm, Kagome searched for a brush and comb to untangle her hair. She found a whole drawer of them in a space underneath the sink. Unthinking, Kagome pulled one out at random, and began running the bristles through her hair. Instantly, the hairs the brush ran over were converted into corkscrew curls, making Kagome drop the device in her surprise.

Deciding that maybe, among these many, _many_ brushes there must be one to undo the first action, Kagome raked four brushes through her thick mane quickly. This resulted in a spiral curl, a loss of the chunk of hair the brush had touched, a rainbow streak, and a perfectly straight section. Almost panicking now, Kagome ran all the brushes through her hair until she looked like she had grown a multi-colored and textured afro.

"Oh, no!" She said under her breath, looking back in the mirror into her own shocked blue eyes, taking in the damage. Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Oh, NO!"

"Hey, Higurashi, you done in there yet?"

Kagome recognized the voice as the one belonging to Yusuke. "Uh…" Kagome said loudly, hurriedly gathering all of her things and tied a towel around her head. She ducked her head down as she opened the door swiftly and tried to avoid getting caught by his sharp eyes.

"Whoa, hang on a minute! You got some sort of red-thread coming out of your—" he yanked on several rainbow-dyed strands that were peeking from underneath the towel, resulting in Kagome's yowl of pain as she dropped and scattered all of her things.

Blushing to the roots of her hair, Kagome watched Yusuke's sleep-encrusted eyes widen slowly as he took in her new "do", or in this case, "don't".

Kagome gathered her things all helter-skelter in her arms and tried to make a lighthearted comment. "Uh…yeah…Don't use any of the brushes in the left hand drawer…" Unfortunately, all of this came out as a squeak, and she dashed as fast as she could back to her own room.

She squealed again when she nearly ran over Kurama, who was just coming out of his own room. "Sorry," she murmured, running full-bore into her room.

Kurama arched an eyebrow, then continued downstairs, as he had dressed and brushed though his long hair, making it presentable. He walked slowly downstairs, avoiding the squeaky steps with ease. Mrs. Weasley was already up, and had plates upon plates of waffles, pancakes, eggs, and sausages.

"Good morning, my dear!" She said, rushing up to him and giving him a squeeze around the middle; it was all the further up she could reach, as Kurama was tall (not nearly so much as Kuwabara, however).

Kurama smiled at the woman who was reminding him more and more of his own mother. When he had told Shiori, his mother, about the letter, he had also confessed his secret life as a Spirit Detective. She had been thrilled about this, but at the same time immediately set about worrying her hair off, as he had known she would. He promised to write her weekly, and so had to be buying an owl soon, which was something he informed Molly of immediately.

"That's fine, dear. We're going to get your supplies tomorrow, so you won't have to worry. Now, sit down and have a meal, dear. You've got today off and then it's nose to the grindstone until the last week of summer break!"

Kurama smiled and sat down, allowing her to serve him, filling his plate full with enough carbohydrates to choke a hippo. "Thank you, ma'am."

"You're most welcome, young man. Honestly, I think I would pay you to teach my boys a thing or two about manners."

Just then, Yusuke stormed down the stairs, shirtless and with a towel draped over his shoulders.

"You're certainly making yourself at home, Yusuke," Kurama remarked.

"Hey, they wanted me here; they're gonna have to deal with the consequences. Oh, and by the way, Higurashi got into something and now her hair looks like she stuck her finger in a light socket."

"Is that what happened? No wonder she didn't want to be seen," Kurama surmised.

"Oh, dear! She must have gotten into something of Fred and George's…I'd better go and correct it. Yusuke, dear, sit down and help yourse—"

Kurama chuckled and pointed out the other teen. "I think he's way ahead of you, Mrs. Weasley."

"Indeed…" Molly said, eyeing Yusuke, whose plate was stacked to the point of overflowing. "Now…to straighten out her hair…" The robust woman climbed up the stairs to Kagome and Yukina's room, leaving Hiei, Yukina, the twins, Ginny, Ron, and then Kuwabara to amble down the stairs within the next twenty minutes.

Somehow, the plates of food stuffs seemed to never empty, much to the delight of the twins, Ron, Yusuke, and Kuwabara, which resulted in an hour of lounging around doing nothing due to their gorging. Finally, Hiei made eye contact with Kurama, who followed the fiery demon outside. Ginny, hoping to do something interesting, tagged along.

Hiei and Kurama walked side by side, a person's space between them, but somehow they still managed to look like walking companions. They continued out into the green meadow behind the house where the boys had been fighting last night, and also where the Weasleys practiced Quidditch over the summer.

Ginny started to follow them out into the middle of the green, but a warning look from Kurama bade her stay where she was, and she sat down obligingly. Under usual circumstances, she would have ignored it and followed them out all the way, but these two were, as already proven, anything _but_ usual. Thus, she figured she'd be better off doing what Kurama ordered.

She watched avidly as they squared off, both arms at their sides, just staring levelly at the other. Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash from Hiei, and a glaring swirl of red and black energy spiraled around him.

Kurama responded by releasing the lock on his own energy, sending curls of white mists and yellow and green fireworks around his body, rivaling the height of Hiei's.

"First blood," Hiei said tonelessly. "No rules."

"Agreed."

Ginny was confused about the short agreement they seemed to have reached. She watched avidly, her eyes riveted on the two as they simply stood and faced off. Then, her eyes caught the flex of Kurama's left bicep, a nearly imperceptible movement, but it was apparently enough to make Hiei launch into action.

"Wow!" she breathed, focusing on the sudden blur of motion in front of her. She caught the glare of sunlight off of a blade, and a long, snaking green thing, which looked like a whip.

Her eyes danced in awe and delight at their graceful movements as Hiei rushed from one spot to the next, trying to make Kurama loose some of his concentration. Kurama responded by cracking his whip decisively in front of him, using the rebound of it to snap behind him, aiming with amazing accuracy right where Ginny saw Hiei dash to. She gasped aloud as the whip caught him on the right shoulder, three long gashes appearing where the wickedly sharp thorns were.

Ginny launched herself to her feet and dashed madly to where the two men were standing as calmly as if they were discussing the weather; Hiei was holding a hand hard to his shoulder to stay the bleeding, and Kurama was standing in a relaxed pose nearby.

"MERLIN! What on Earth were you two playing at! Kurama, you knew Hiei was going to go behind you, and you guys said it was only a practice!"

"It was. It was also only until First Blood, in which case, Kurama won the round, as I am the one, obviously, who is bleeding." Hiei snapped, looking irritated but resigned. The day he beat Kurama or tied him in an actual battle would be the day Hiei considered himself in his perfect fighting form.

"Wait a moment," Kurama said, his attention suddenly fully riveted on Ginny. "How did you know where Hiei was going and that I would use a rebound technique to scratch him once he was there?"

Ginny sighed and tapped her foot. "He was circling you, just changing directions and altering the pattern somewhat, and it was due for him to be behind you. You knew, saw, and cracked your whip forward, to make him pause and think that you had misjudged. But then, you swung your wrist around a little bit, and it back lashed and caught Hiei on the shoulder."

Hiei and Kurama stared at her in silence.

"What!" Ginny said with irritation.

"It is simply that no human—"

"I'm a—"

"Witch, yes, we know. But, you are still mortal, and we have only come across two or three people who can see our actions in battle like that, let alone break down the techniques and explain some of the psychological half of fighting." Kurama said.

"…So…?"

"So, that means you have a very powerful sixth sense. Perhaps you should talk with Kuwabara? He is a very open person; I'm sure he'd be glad to clue you in. Perhaps you could be trained to develop a Spirit Technique, too."

"You mean like yours?" Ginny asked Kurama excitedly.

"Perhaps. Why don't you go inside and talk to him now?"

"Sure! See you guys later!" Ginny called, waving to them over her shoulder.

"That was too easy." Hiei said.

"I don't know what you mean," Kurama replied, all innocence.

"Humans; they are so easy to manipulate. Especially the young ones."

"Aa." Kurama replied, a tone of non-concomitance in his voice.

"So, we begin learning this "magic" tomorrow." Hiei stated.

"Yes; we won't have a moment's break until the last week of summer vacation."

"It can't be that difficult," Hiei replied surely.

At about eight o'clock that night, as jet lag was taking its full toll against the transfers, Mrs. Weasley and her husband, along with that strange woman Tonks, briefed them on all of their classes and expectations.

"Now, we don't expect you to have even half of your classes to the sixth year level. However, we do expect you all to have at least one class within the fifth year range. You will dorm with sixth years, but the only other time you would see your fellow year-mates would be at meals, unless you can manage to achieve sixth-year standards, and you'll be able to attend the seasonal balls. Noses go to the grindstone starting tomorrow." Mrs. Weasley said. "Arthur, would you please finish up for me? I have to go and see about the supper cleanup."

"Gladly, dear." Arthur said, stepping forward, all eyes turning to watch him now. "Uh…" he straightened his robe sleeve nervously, then started in. "Well, first of all, this will all be re-briefed to you at the start of the term, but this is just for your own benefit. Tomorrow, you'll be going to a house we've had reserved just for your use. You'll have two classes per day, and on Sundays you'll have a review. Every month, you'll have a year's worth of reviews. If you want to even have a chance at making an average of third-year classes, you'll have to work late and wake up extra early to practice. Tonks here is going to go over your classes with you."

Tonks, stepped forward. "Yeah, so, the required classes at Hogwarts are Transfiguration, History of Magic, Potions, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. However, since History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, and Herbology are not classes that it is required to know background on, They won't be in your summer's schedule. That leaves four core classes. It's suggested that you take at least one other course too, and those are Ancient Runes, Astronomy, and Divination. There are others, too, but those are the most popular ones. You don't _have_ to take an extra course over the summer, but during the school year, you'll have to pick at least one, to help you earn some extra credit.

"The order of your classes will be: on Mondays, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions. Tuesday is Charms and Transfiguration. Wednesday is devoted to your review session. On Thursday, it's Defense and Potions again. Friday is the same as Tuesday—Charms and Transfiguration, and Saturday is your group review, and you have Sunday to use as you will, but it's suggested that you use it for your studies.

"Tomorrow, you're leaving bright and early to get to Diagon Alley to pick up your basic supplies so you can do all of this magic. Defense and Potions are going to be pushed back, so you can have plenty of time to get everything you need." Tonks blew through her nose loudly, sounding somewhat horse-like, and sighed. "Man, I hate speeches…I bet you guys are pretty tired listening to my nonsense by now, huh?"

Yusuke made a slight noise of agreement as he balanced on the rear two legs of his chair, his feet propped on the table. Kuwabara took advantage of this and nonchalantly shoved him backwards. Yusuke fell back with a very undignified THUD and promptly began swearing a blue streak in Japanese so harsh that Yukina was red up to her hairline. She covered her mouth and squinted her eyes. "Oh my…"

Kurama smacked Yusuke over the head with the flat of his hand; just because the Weasleys didn't understand Japanese, it was still very rude to say such things in the presence of anyone who wasn't already used to his foul mouth.

"Damnit, what the hell was that for!" Yusuke shouted in Japanese.

"Watch your mouth, Yusuke!" Kurama said through his teeth.

"Ah fuck it, Fox! Did you not see what that bastard just did to me? And you're telling me to, 'watch my mouth'? Be glad I'm not kicking his fucking ass right now!"

"And why, pray tell, are you not?" Hiei asked.

"Cause I'm comfortable right where I am, thanks." Yusuke crossed his arms from his position on his back, legs splayed in the air, and chair crushed beneath him.

"Yusuke…" Kurama said, shaking his head.

Kagome couldn't hold it in anymore. She burst out laughing, making every eye turn to her. "S—Sorry! I just…he just…Kami…I'm sorry, but he just reminded me of…some…one…Uh…" Kagome appeared to falter in her cheery smile and blinked heavily for a few seconds. "Sorry…"

"Shit…" Yusuke finally got up, completely ignorant of Kagome's strange monologue. "Kuwabara, you are a dead man!" he said, switching to English.

"I wish they would stop going back and forth from English to Japanese," Fred told George.

"Yusuke…" Kurama repeated, sighing and getting up from his position beside the hot-tempered young man. "Never mind. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, I apologize for Yusuke; he is too brash on occasion."

"Oh, it's fine dear!" Mrs. Weasley assured him, however her eyes said she wished she could tell what on Earth they were saying to one another when they spoke in their native tongue.

"Why don't we go outside for some fresh air before we turn in? It's always relaxing for me." Arthur suggested, meaning he was hoping a full-scale riot between Urameshi and Kuwabara could be avoided by doing something else.

"Nah, forget it. I'm over it," Yusuke said, dusting himself off.

The other Tantei, Kuwabara included, turned incredulous looks on Yusuke, who shrugged them off, but his eyes held Kuwabara's in a silent promise of revenge that would be sweet. Kurama glanced at Hiei, who looked back at him, and they shared the same thought.

'_Here we go again…'_

As promised, they were woken up at six the next morning. Yukina, Kagome, and Kurama had no issues with this. Hiei was indifferent, because he hardly ever slept in the first place. Yusuke and Kuwabara, however, were decidedly not morning people. They mumbled, groaned, whined and bemoaned the time for an hour before they were awake enough to see in technicolor. The two were half-dressed as the six students stumbled into the kitchen, where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stood before of an empty fireplace.

"Is everyone ready?" Arthur asked.

There were various replies of "yes", "sure", and "It's too ! $ing early for this!"

"Grand. Now, I want everyone to line up, and I need someone brave to go first."

"First? First for what?" Yusuke asked, coming round enough to be paying at least a bit of attention.

"To use the Floo Powder. Now, Kurama, would you be willing to go first?" Arthur asked.

Kurama nodded and obediently stepped into the fireplace, ducking as he went. His body was relaxed but his eyes were ever attentive for some sort of danger or trap.

"Excellent. Now, all you have to do, is take some of this powder," Molly held out a can of multi-colored dust particles, of which Kurama took a small handful of. "Throw it down and say _very_ clearly, "The Leaky Cauldron". Do you understand?"

Kurama nodded however his eyes looked a bit confused and a dash apprehensive. He closed his verdant eyes and threw down the powder in one snap of his narrow wrist. "The Leaky Cauldron." He ordered. Instantly, a wash of green flames leapt up around him.

Hiei jumped into action, his hand on his sword's hilt and taking a defensive stance towards the fireplace that was now—empty? What the hell?!

"There now," Molly seemed satisfied and ushered Hiei, who was in full battle stance, towards the place next. "Come on, dear, it won't eat you!"

Hiei glared at her, his Jagan sparking in accordance with his perturbed state. "Where is Kurama?" he asked through his teeth, switching his stance to make dead weight out of himself, making it futile for Mrs. Weasley to continue pushing him forward.

"He's at the Leaky Cauldron, waiting for us! You'll see if you just hop into the fireplace and do exactly as he did."

Hiei's battle and survival instincts were _screaming_ at him to not do as she told him, as it was so obvious a lain-open trap that even that idiot Kuwabara would've seen it. But, these people had no intention of harming him—if they did, and they had any sense at all, they would see that he was not easily fooled. So, these people weren't out to get him—if they were, it would be a mistake in calculation that he hadn't made in centuries.

Therefore, it was _other_ people whom he had to be concerned with. And all of the enemies he knew of, which was quite many and _all_ of which he kept on tabs, were either in Makai or on the other side of the world. So, against all of his better instincts, he stepped into the fireplace, grabbed a handful of the powder, and said in his husky tone, "Leaky Cauldron", with all of the authority he could muster.

Hiei's Jagan saw clearly into the other square-like entrances; more fireplaces, he presumed. Then, the whirling stopped, and his feet were once again beneath him.

"What in all of the hells…" he muttered in Japanese, stepping out of the fireplace, his eyes instantly alert for any signs of danger or his supposed trap. All three of his eyes alighted on Kurama, who was at the moment, being almost physically accosted by an over-zealous bar maid and a small flock of young girls that were flirting outrageously.

"Kurama!" Hiei shouted, seeing Kurama's 'help me!' look. Locking his Jagan on Kurama's mind, he asked him telepathically, "_Have you spoken to them in English?"_

"_No—they don't let me get a word in edgewise."_

"_Work with me."_

Hiei sidled up menacingly towards the gaggle of adolescents and spoke in his harshest tone a language of Makai that both knew. "Kurama! Death, kill and burn traitorous enemies!"

Kurama got a wicked gleam in his eye as Youko awakened, drawn by the sound of his favorite, malicious language. He knew well and good that Hiei's choice of wording consisted of the most barbaric sounding expressions in the Makai language. With a wicked grin, Kurama replied in a low tone, "Hiei! Blood and burn flesh from bone, searing skin pleasure sounds upon my ears!"

By now, the girls and young women that had been hanging on and around him were thoroughly shocked and beginning to become scared. The two demons were just about to continue when there was a _WHOOSHING_ noise from the fireplace behind them, and Yusuke, then Kuwabara stumbled out.

"DAMN!" Yusuke said, dusting himself off. "What a ride!"

Kuwabara was glancing around in partial awe at the old-English style pub that they'd been transported to. "Hey! There's Kurama and Hiei!"

If the words of Makai hadn't been enough to scare away the girls (who were, despite their state of nervousness, beginning to size up Hiei), then the great ape charging towards them certainly was. They took off in as graceful of a retreat as they could manage, giggling uneasily all of the way.

Moments later, Kagome and then Yukina emerged. The koorime was coughing delicately, and glancing sadly at all of the dust that had accumulated on her best kimono. There was a roar of the green flames and Arthur and Molly stepped out, knocking Yukina, who was in the passageway, aside. Hiei was instantly on the defense, snatching up Yukina before she even lost her balance, making her look up and blush at him. "Thank you, Hiei."

Kuwabara saw this and was as mad as a wet hornet. He approached Hiei at a quaking stomp, and grabbed him by his collar. "Hey, Shrimp, take your hands off My Yukina!"

Hiei easily peeled Kuwabara's hand from his shirt and glared at him without remorse. He said nothing to the ticked off man and simply walked back to Kurama.

The Weasley adults had watched this go on and were to the point of wiping sweat from their brows at the brawl that had just been avoided. When they promised to take on all of these teens, they hadn't known that they would be so volatile. Molly glanced at her husband, and nodded. "Well, why don't we get to Diagon Alley, then?"

From the corner of his mouth, Arthur asked his wife, "Maybe a calming potion for the lot?"

"I'm getting to that point," Molly said, her eyes saying that she was not joking.

The pair led the six out back, Arthur pulling out his wand. "Watch carefully, everyone." They watched in confusion as he tapped his wand in a pattern on the brick wall.

"What is _that_ supposed to do?" Hiei asked disdainfully.

His question was answered by a rumbling noise, as brick and cement rearranged to form an arched entryway into a narrow, but crowded alley.

"Well shit." Yusuke said under his breath.

"Wow…" Kagome breathed, stepping away from her position at Yukina's side, in-between she and Kurama.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, everyone! Now, our first stop is Gringotts, because we've got to get you your money."

"But, we brought our own—" Kagome began to say.

"No, no, you can exchange that for some extra money, if you'd like, but the school's funds will cover you for the supplies and a small allowance for the trips to Hogsmeade."

"Oh." Kagome said, putting her purse away.

"So, where is this place then? This "Greggingoatee" place?" Yusuke asked with his usual surliness.

"That's "Gringotts", Yusuke," Mr. Weasley corrected him. "And it's right up ahead. That big white building that's leaning to the side? Do you see it?"

"Yeah, I can see—Damn!" Yusuke concluded, upon seeing the size of the huge bank.

Hiei's eyes shifted to Kurama, who was standing calmly to one side, looking up at the building.

"Don't get any ideas, Fox." He warned him under his breath. "Can you read Latin?"

"Youko can—some at least."

"Then read the warning above the door."

Kurama's eyes skimmed the plaque, but instead of looking placated, his eyes took on a golden gleam. "Youko loves a challenge…" he said dreamily.

"Then get _Youko_ under control, because I get the feeling that if you broke in, it would be very difficult getting out. You have to be in one piece for the start of the term."

"Demons heal quickly," Kurama told him right back.

"Don't do anything stupid. Come on, let's go."

The two followed the rest of the others inside, and stared wonderingly at the place around them. They were sized up by two little, ugly beings that Mr. Weasley explained as Goblins. They marched up to an empty desk, where a goblin sat on an elevated stool, skimming an unearthly large book with a pointed, yellow nail. His beady eyes glanced up at them. "What can I do for you?"

His words were courteous, but Yukina and Kagome had to shudder at the slightly dead and warning tone in his voice.

"We are the Weasleys, and these are the six foreign students to be introduced to Hogwarts this year."

"Ah…yes. Mr. Dumbledore has secured an amount for them each, has he not?"

"Yes, and we are here to pick it up." Arthur said uneasily. He too, then, must have been a bit wary of the beast-like creature.

"Do you have the key?" the goblin asked, holding out a surprisingly smooth and well-tended hand, despite the ugliness of the nails protruding from it.

"Yes, yes, right here!" Arthur dug anxiously into his coat pocket and produced the key, giving it delicately to the short-statured creature.

"Hmm…follow me."

The eight did so, and got into two separate carts that were a lot like the ones miners used to use. As soon as they were all sat down, the carts took off at break-neck speeds, tearing and ripping up and down and around hairpin turns. Finally, they came to a screeching halt in front of a huge steel door. Yukina's hair was sticking out at odds and ends, and was almost as green as her hair. Kagome was holding her stomach and gasping, trying not to heave up her breakfast.

Kurama leaned over, concealing something into his hand as he reached behind his head. When he opened his hand, a sprig of something dark green was in his palm. Kagome looked at him with confusion, but Yukina smiled gratefully and took half of the sprig, popping it into her mouth, chewing then swallowing thankfully. "It will calm your stomach," Kurama explained.

Kagome picked it up carefully, sniffing to see if there was any scent—a little bit of a mint…She considered on the effects of it, as Yukina was a demon, and she was a human _and_ a miko…but another lurch in her belly made the decision for her. Kagome stuffed it into her mouth, not even bothering to chew it for more than two seconds, and immediately felt a calming sensation. She sighed with content, and sat back as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the goblin from before came back to the carts, carrying a large sack of gold and six smaller sacks.

Arthur distributed them each with a number of large gold disks, and even more of smaller silver and bronze coins.

"_This_ is your _money_?" Yusuke asked incredulously.

"Yep!" Arthur said proudly. "Now sit tight for the trip back."

Kagome moaned and Yukina looked sadly at the cold steel cart she was sitting in. Kurama readied more of the plant that was the relation of mint to hand the girls, should they start to look ill.

The ride back up was just as _thrilling_ as the one down, and now Mrs. Weasley and even Yusuke was looking a bit pale.

Kurama sighed and manipulated his energies to split the spring into a small branch. Quickly, the ride was over and they all practically fell out of the carts.

"Damn, they should install some seatbelts or something…" Kuwabara muttered, holding his head.

Kurama silently distributed the leaves to everyone, except Hiei, who told him to buzz off. They emerged back outside, feeling much better, although the Weasleys were looking at Kurama strangely; probably wondering how and where Kurama had come up with the remedy.

Shrugging it off to ponder later, the adults led the others into an Apothecary shop, instructing them to find the items on the list that they gave them, then pay for them. Kurama almost had to be forcibly removed from the shop, as he was very intrigued by all of the different ingredients to make, as they called them here, "potions".

Next they were taken to Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, where each was measured by a self-operating tape measurer, and then given four plain black robes, the girls given a fur muff, gloves, a half-length or a full length cloak, and each picked out a dress or a nice suit, and a robe for special occasions.

Yukina picked out a stunning dark, deep sea green dress that was startlingly reminiscent of the kimono, decorated with silver sparkles and actual _moving_ designs of dolphins and water, along with a white silky cape. Kagome decided on a dark sapphire dress (also very kimono-like in its build) that faded to black from the top to the bottom, with light blue splashes of color on the hems, with a sheer black cape.

Hiei chose, as was foreseeable, all black, with no cape. He had his own back at the Burrow. Kurama picked out a pair of dark green, loose fitting pants, with a white top that buttoned up, and a half-length black cape. Yusuke picked out gray pants with a tanned long-sleeved top with yellow trim and no cape, and Kuwabara got a very nice all-blue getup that Yukina told him he would look very handsome in. This, of course, sent Kuwabara past Cloud 9 and up to Cloud 16.

Flourish and Blots was next, where they picked up rolls of parchment, quills, and ink wells, along with quill sharpeners and ink refills. "Okay, let's go and get you your trunks and then we'll head to the last stops, then."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley led them as they exited. Yukina and Kagome walked out in a pair, laughing and talking, and Yusuke and Kuwabara were arguing. Kurama and Hiei were last, walking a companionable distance apart.

They stopped briefly to purchase trunks to carry their things in. Then they were in front of an ancient old shop called "Ollivander's Wand Shop".

"Well, this oughta be interesting," Yusuke said, turning his head to look up at the sign.

The doorbell clanged as they filed into the cramped area, as the floor-space, most of the chairs, and every available wall-space was covered in long, thin, rectangular boxes. "Ah…" a sharp, but aged voice called from a back room, before an elderly man walked out, white hair all crazed and wild. "Yes, yes, good, I was expecting you. Who's first?"

Yukina looked back and forth between the other members of the group, and slowly raised her hand. "I…Me—Ano—"

Ollivander nodded at her confusion of how to put what she wanted to say into English. "Right over here, dear." He said a foreign word, and immediately a tape measurer shot out from his wand tip, going to work on taking her measurements on her left hand and arm. When about two minutes had gone by and all of the lengths had been taken, Ollivander clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth in thought, then went about jostling through all kinds of boxes before pulling out one. "Here; this one is five inches, phoenix feather core, maple wood."

Yukina took the wand by the hilt and held it uncertainly for a bit until Ollivander realized she didn't know what to do with it. "Just wave it around and see what happens."

The koorime nodded and flicked her wrist, sending a shot of lime green out of the tip, setting several papers on the floor on fire. Yukina squeaked, surprised, but Ollivander was unmoved. "Right then…no more phoenix feathers for you. Ah…here…this one. It's ash, springy, 7 2/3 inches, and unicorn hair core. Give it a wave."

Yukina squinted on eye shut in preparation and flicked the end. A strum of Japanese instruments whispered around the room. "Well, that's the one for you then!" Ollivander said happily. "Step towards the counter now, dear. Who's next?"

Yusuke took a confident step forward, standing firmly all throughout his measurements. Ollivander immediately set off, retrieving a ten-inch, evergreen, unicorn hair. That wand set the shop owner's hair on fire; the next one with a unicorn hair in it exploded as soon as Yusuke touched it. "Right…so, you're obviously not made for a unicorn hair core…you seem more like a phoenix feather anyway…" The third wand was an aspen, 10 ½ inch long, with a phoenix feather core.

This time there was a huge drop then rise in temperature when Yusuke waved it, and the lights flickered on and off. "Ah, another perfect match. How about you, young man?" He gestured to Kuwabara. While he was taking measurements, Ollivander walked around him carefully, muttering. "Strong…proud…yes, but I wonder…" Before the tape was even done taking measurements, Ollivander was off, returning with a burnished bronze colored box. "This one, here is a unicorn hair core…I think it's suited to you. 7 ¾ inches, light and stiff, Royal Maple wood."

Kuwabara snatched it up eagerly, and the wand glowed on contact of his hand. Ollivander clapped gleefully. "Excellent! A fit on the first try—it doesn't happen very often! Now you, little sir…why not you next?"

Hiei glared death at the man for calling him a "little sir" but stepped up quickly. When lengths were taken, Ollivander stopped to pause and consider, taking in Hiei's stance, posture, and expression. "I think I know what might be good for you." He returned moments later from a shelf with a box in hand. "Why not try another phoenix feather in this group? This one is sycamore, 7 ¼ inches long. Wave it around a bit."

The entire group had to duck and the females each screeched when a shot of red light bulleted out of the tip of the wand, ricocheting off of walls, chairs, and exploded about half of a shelf of wands. Ollivander peered over his desk, where he had taken refuge, then crept out, snatching the wand from Hiei's hands. "Okay, no phoenix feathers for you…"

Five more wands were tried on before Ollivander got an enlightened look on his face and scrambled into the back room, emerging with a black box in hand. "This ought to be the one! Ebony, extremely stiff and weighty, dragon heartstring core, 11 ½ inches long. Wave it about."

Hiei, who had been looking more and more skeptical by the moment, grasped the handle and glared at the piece of wood menacingly as he waved it. Again, everyone ducked as another bullet, this one black, zoomed around the room, then took the form of a—black dragon? The lighted beast roared and swept around the room, jaw open and consuming. Ollivander was ready to snatch the wand from Hiei when Kurama snagged onto his shirt. "No, that one is best suited to him."

"I think I know more about—" Ollivander began, offended, when he stopped upon seeing the look on Hiei's face as the beast continued around the room. A sort of twisted glee and slight menace that apparently, meant the runt was happy—strange folk, these Japanese. "Very well, you're next, young man," Ollivander told Kurama, ordering the tape to go after Kurama's arm as Hiei's dragon finally dissolved.

The first wand given to Kurama was from a lime tree, and was very short and strange looking; he exploded that wand into nothing but ashes. The next one was from another fruit tree, an orange, and was long and slender, with a unicorn hair core. This one caught on fire instead of exploding and Ollivander snatched it away from him pronto. Sighing and rubbing his head, the manager looked at Kurama closer for a few moments before shaking himself out of his sort of trance and going after another box in the back room.

He returned with a soft beige box and extended it to Kurama, who took it as Ollivander explained that it was rose wood, eleven and six-eighths inches long, with a dragon heartstring core. A green-gold glow swallowed his hand and the smell of roses and herbs filled the room, as Kurama's eyes took on a slightly golden tinge and elongated. The effects quickly disappeared, however.

Ollivander seemed happy enough, then pulled out Kagome, who was the last one and sent his tape out after her measurements. When that was done, Ollivander paused, considering. "Well, missy…Let's see here…I think it'd be best to start you out on a unicorn horn core."

Kagome silently agreed, as she _was_ a miko, and accepted the wand he handed her with anticipation. She griped the tan wand firmly and waved it with a gentle _swish_. The wand EXPLODED with a supernatural-thundering BOOM that echoed for some ten seconds afterwards. Kagome was thrust back onto her bottom at the force and stared in awe as orange and red clouds faded. Seconds after she came out of her initial shock, her right hand began to sting and bleed.

Glancing down, she saw harsh burn marks raking across her palm where she'd held the wand's handle. Yukina's eyes widened as she saw the damage and hurriedly grabbed onto Kagome's hand, closing both of hers over her friend's. An icy blue glow surrounded them and when she pulled away her hands, Kagome's palm was healed. This whole incident had gone unobserved by the Weasleys, but was caught by Hiei, who silently approved of his sister's actions.

Ollivander stood back, amazed and confused, but he was not nearly as confused as Kagome and the Tantei, who had been positive that a unicorn hair would accept being held by a miko. Why was she rejected?

"Well…after that, I don't think it would be wise choice to have anymore of those hairs as your core…hmm…I was _sure_ that one would work for you…"

Mrs. Weasley seemed to still be catching her breath. "Please, Ollivander, could you hurry? I don't mean to rush you, it's just that we left Ginny back with Fred and George and Ron, and I don't know what kind of…_mischief_…they'll be getting into by now."

"Ah, of course, Molly. I think this won't take much longer. Now my girl, just hold tight; I think I might have just the one for you." Ollivander dug under some boxes that had been scattered by Hiei's dragon and finally pulled out a cream colored box. "Ah, here we are. Silver birch, slightly bendy, 10 ½ inches, phoenix feather core. Give it a wave."

Kagome nearly cringed to try another one after the last wand had exploded, but did as he said and grabbed hold of the smooth, whitish and butter-cream colored handle. Her hand flicked the tip in an oval, and immediately a shower of blue sparks fell from the ceiling in glittery flakes. Ollivander sighed happily. "Another customer well-served. I'll take pay for these wands now, all of you."

The would-be students crowded at the counter, passing over their payment, then were ushered out of the door by the Weasleys.

"Come on, then! We've got to get you over to the house so you can start on your first day of studying, and then Molly and me have to get back home so we can right whatever it is that Fred and George have managed to explode." Arthur told them, exiting Diagon Alley.

Once they were back inside the Leaky Cauldron, they used the Floo powder again, this time with instructions to move out of the way as soon as you landed, to avoid another collision.

"What are we supposed to say to make it go?" Yusuke asked, being the first volunteer this time around.

"Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place."

They were greeted as they arrived at the new building by dark walls and dusty corners. Only a lone person stood by the table, ticking his fingers in agitation against the worn wood. The students looked about them in obvious curiosity, staring openly at the dank house.

Kurama discretely covered his nose at the old, slightly mildewed scent that was slowly pushing its way into his senses. He exchanged a look with Hiei that told him the hybrid wasn't much more pleased.

_Who is that, I wonder?_ Kurama asked Hiei telepathically.

_I don't know and I don't care._ Was his short response.

Kurama mentally rolled his eyes at his friend's brashness.

"You're late," the strange, pale man at the table said, just as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were stepping out of the fireplace last.

Arthur seemed taken aback at this man's appearance and stuttered out, "We got…held up in the Alley."

"Hmm…Fine. Lupin is late, so we will begin with Potions classes now. Hurry up! I'm already wasting my summer time for you so don't make me tolerate your presence any longer than I must."

"Damn, he's like a Hiei clone!" Yusuke said under his breath in Japanese.

Snape turned on him and replied stonily in the same language, his accent perfect, "Mr. Urameshi, you will refrain from speaking in your native tongue in my presence—you are in England now, and are expected to speak English."

Yusuke sneered at him and was only stopped from retorting smartly by a rap on the head, courtesy of Kagome, much to everyone's surprise. Only Hiei caught the soft muttering of, "Where on Earth is that command necklace when you need it?"

Hiei relayed this to Kurama mentally, whom shrugged, replying that he knew nothing about it. "Hn…" Hiei said softly, tucking that bit of information away for later contemplation.

They were led to a staircase, with strict instructions to remain silent until they'd reached the room they'd be practicing in. The Weasleys left, informing them that they'd be able to leave at 5:30—seven hours from then.

They were led past a large painting that was covered in a black velvet curtain, and a chalked white circle encompassing an area around it.

"What the hell is that?" Yusuke asked, walking over to the painting.

"Don't even think—"

Too late—Yusuke had raised his fist to knock on the curtain.

"Don't worry; he never does." Hiei assured the teacher.

The curtains flew open and an old, gaunt woman with barbaric eyes glared out at them, and began screaming obscenities at the top of her painted lungs. "YOU DAMNED FILTHY WORTHLESS PEOPLE—WANDERING AROUND IN MY HOUSE! FILTHY MUDBLOODS THE LOT OF YOU—GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY PURE HOUSE RIGHT THIS INSTANT BEFORE I MAKE YOU! STRANGE BLOODY FOREIGNERS ARE WANDERING AROUND IN THE FAMOUS BLACK HOUSE—OH THE SHAME! I HAVE NOT SEEN SUCH FILTH SINCE I WAS YOUNG—DIRTY! DIRTY THE LOT OF YOU! GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY—"

Snape charged up to the curtains and hauled them shut, the woman going quiet immediately. "Do NOT under ANY circumstances EVER disturb this painting or so help me you'll find yourself at St. Mungo's before you can utter a damned word."

"What kind of painting is it supposed to be?" Yukina asked curiously.

"Yeah—I never seen a painting that moved and talked!" Kuwabara said, scratching his head.

"Welcome to the Wizarding World," Snape said, his voice dripping in sarcasm. "Now, if there are no more questions…?"

"I'll bet he's the life of the party," Yusuke muttered, making Kagome giggle softly.

Snape lifted the edge of his lip in a silent snarl and led them into a room in the attic where three long tables were set up. "As much as I disagree with handicaps, I was instructed to give you all potions to enhance your memories and expand your mind to make you capable of memorizing for the rest of the summer. Without it, I doubt you would be able to memorize half of the things you are learning today. Line up and drink what I give you immediately."

The six students queued up, each accepting the tiny vial of bright yellow liquid they were given, and all downed them at once. Out of them all, Kuwabara probably made the most disgusted face, while Yusuke easily picked up the award for most…_creative_ verbal description of taste. Namely, "Holy shit! This stuff tastes like ass!"

Snape seemed to enjoy their ire, and said with a hint of a smile in his voice, "Now, set out your cauldrons, two to a table, and get out your gloves and knives."

Yukina and Kagome, predictably, set up their stations beside one another, with Kurama and Hiei, then Yusuke and Kuwabara each at the other two tables.

"I will not tolerate talking unless you are spoken to by myself firstly. You will refer to me as Professor Snape, or Sir and not by simply "Snape". As you know less than even the below average first year witch or wizard, I will grant you some slack and permit all questions relating to Potions making.

"I would normally spend several weeks on lecture on the art of Potion making, the history of the potion, its ingredients, and the steps. However, since we are so limited on time, you will not have to do these things. You will have several long essay assignments, and I will expect them in half of the normal due-dates. Your first task will be to make one of the simplest potions in the Wizarding World—the Pepper-Up Potion. This potion is helpful in making the ill feel more energized, the sports player's mind more functional, or to help you stay awake." Snape looked as though he had never spoken so many words at one time in his life.

He tapped his wand on the blackboard and a list of ingredients and directions appeared. "I will not walk you through these steps but if you have a question that is actually worth my time to answer, I will do so. There will be no talking. Ingredients are at the back of the room."

Kagome read through the directions and ingredients twice before leaving to go to the back of the room to gather the peppermint root, oil of mint, branch of lilac and five thorns of a briar branch. Once she returned to her table, she noticed that Yukina was having some issues splicing the thorns in half, as they were hard and her knife wasn't cutting through. "Here, Yukina. Hold the knife like this," she corrected her hold on the handle. "Now try it."

"I believe I told you that talking was not permitted, Miss…"

"Higurashi, Kagome Sir."

"Miss Higurashi. The next time I catch you talking without my permission, you will have a detention that will be paid once Term begins."

"Yes, sir." Kagome said, bowing her head, giving Yukina an apologizing glance.

"Get back to work."

The six pupils ground their lilac blossoms and minced the peppermint roots and crushed the mint leaves. Once their potions were all complete, Snape instructed them to spoon their potions into a jar and close the lid, and set them on his desk. "Mr. Urameshi, I believe the instructions said that your potion should turn out to be a "rosy pink". Would you care to explain to me why yours is orange?"

"No, not really."

"Why do you not test your potion then, to see what the effect is. Perhaps it will serve as a lesson to these others what can happen when you fail to follow the instructions."

"Sure." Yusuke snagged his jar off of the counter, opened the lid, and spooned a teaspoon full of the thin orange potion onto the utensil. He downed the liquid in a gulp, licking his lips. "Hmm…tastes kinda nutty…with a hint of…" He trailed off as his face turned red, then magenta, little red spots showing up all over his skin. "Damn…this shit's itchy…"

"It seems you have recreated the cross between the potion for adrenaline and the one for the cure of chicken pox. Congratulations on your first T, Mr. Urameshi."

"T? What's that stand for?"

"Troll."

"Uh…okay…So how long until this potion wears off?"

"Most likely another hour or so."

"Damn."

Five potions and three and a half hours later, they were dismissed for a break and a meal, all sporting some sort of side effect from drinking a faulty potion—Snape's way of punishing them for not following directions. Yukina had nearly cut her finger off by being unable to properly grip a handle, Kagome had thrown up from having to slice open a dead frog and remove its heart and liver, and Kuwabara had been put into a brief coma from an overdose of calming potion.

Yusuke had finally gotten over his short case of itchiness and pink coloring, and Hiei, surprisingly enough, had even managed to botch up a Hilarity potion and was now barely able to contain his excitement—at _everything_.

As strange luck would have it, Kurama was the only one who came out of the lesson unharmed and all in one piece—a fact that Snape seemed most unhappy with. The look in his eyes said that he would try his hardest to assure that Kurama screwed up at least once the next lesson.

As they were consuming a brief, late lunch (Kagome ate nothing, as she wasn't exactly feeling quite up to par), a tall, vaguely handsome man came into the dusty kitchen. "Well, hello," He greeted them. "I take it you all are the students I'll be teaching, then?"

"Yes," Yukina said.

"How about your names, then? Not that I'll remember them by any means, but at least I'll have given it the old school try, right?"

The students, not particularly accustomed to such a cheerful person except for Botan and in Kagome's case Shippou, were a little awkward and didn't exactly know how to act. Kagome swallowed and stood, bowing formally. _I'd better make a good impression on as many of these people as I can,_ she told herself. "I am Kagome Higurashi, sir."

Yukina took her cue and followed suit. "My name is Yukina."

"Yukina…?"

The ice maiden simply looked at him in confusion until Kurama leaned in and whispered, "I believe he wants to know what your family name is."

"But I don't…"

"Then give him the word for Ice Maiden—he won't know any better."

Yukina nodded and blushed politely, facing the new teacher. "Yukina Koorime, sir."

"It's a pleasure, Miss Koorime. Now, for these gentlemen…"

Kurama stood next, "Kurama Minamino."

"Kuh-rah-muh-Meen-ah-mee-noh…Hell, it rhymes Domino, so I will probably end up calling you that."

Kurama smiled slightly, humoring the teacher. "Whatever comes easiest, Sir."

"No, no, I'll get it right eventually…Now, you two young men, what are your names?"

Kuwabara and Yusuke looked at each other—obviously something had transpired between them as they each got identical quirks in their eyebrows. Yusuke stepped forward. "The Mighty Kazuma Kuwabara, at your service, sir."

Kuwabara stepped up, glaring at his buddy for portraying him in such a _silly_ fashion… "The Pompous Hot Air Bag, and Second Best Fighter in Tokyo, Yusuke Urameshi!"

"Kazuma" broke character and whaled on "Yusuke". "I do not sound like that you freak of nature! And that would be "THE Best Fighter in Tokyo", idiot! Get it straight!"

The teacher put his head in his hands for a moment and said, "Ah…another set of pranksters…splendid. Therefore Mr. Urameshi would be the…shorter? Of you two?"

The two devilish grins were good enough of an answer. Finally, he turned to the shortest of them all—but also perhaps the least approachable. "And what would your name be?"

"Hiei."

"Hiei…?"

Without missing a beat, as he had been prepared since Yukina's trip-up, he replied, "Jaganshi."

"Ah, very good then, Mr. Juh-gahn-shee... It's a pleasure to meet you all; my name is Professor Lupin. Feel free to refer to me as simply Lupin outside of the classroom and school."

Murmured responses went up, and the girls and Kurama bowed politely.

"I'll be the one teaching you some background in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Yusuke snorted at that, making Lupin's attention switch solely to him. "What appears to be so funny, Mr. Urameshi?"

"Ah, not much. Just that we all probably know more about "Defense Against the Dark Arts" than you do."

"Oh, really? Well, we'll see later, won't we? Now, if you're all finished, why don't you come with me and we'll begin."

**A/N**: I have a list of potions mentioned in the book series that I found on Mugglenet, but few of the potions outline the ingredients. I also have a list of ingredients (also from Mugglenet), but rarely does it say which potions the ingredient is used in. Therefore, I will be pulling things out of my butt like there's no tomorrow in order to come up with steps to create potions, etc, etc. Thanks for your patience!


	5. Teachers, Tests, and Results

**Chapter Five: Teachers, Tests and Results**

Defense Against the Dark Arts was a breeze for the Tantei and Kagome, providing only slight hitches for Yukina. Professor Lupin was a fun person to be taught by, as he was always coming up with creative ways to hold Yusuke and Kuwabara's attentions for more than ten minutes. As their "class period" with him was three and a half-hours, Lupin certainly had his work cut out for him!

Through experience, the students learned that Snape gave lots of reading assignments, trying to make up for all of those lost weeks on theory of potions they supposed, and gave out many (as promised) essays. Professor Lupin, on the other hand, was another story entirely. He gave most of his assignments as in-class experiments and demonstrations. They rarely had a reading assignment, and over the course of the summer had only three essays, versus Snape's eleven.

Their other two classes, Transfiguration and Charms, kept them on their toes, as these two teachers were also at opposite ends of the spectrum. On their second day of summer school, they were hauled off to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Transfiguration was first, and Yusuke decided right then and there that he would do everything in his power to make the old woman yell at him—which, as Kurama pointed out—could be disaster for Yusuke's physicality…

Thus, the first lesson of the day was the three hundred and twenty-four different ways Professor McGonagall could transfigure Yusuke into a mammal of her choice, should he aggravate her any further.

Somehow, despite the fact that the troublesome leader of the Tantei was intentionally pressing McGonagall's buttons, he was somehow her favorite of them all and Yusuke began to pass the class with flying colors. However, in Potions, he failed miserably to attain any level of average ability. If he didn't manage to nearly cut his fingers off or burn his clothing on the cauldron fires, his potions rarely made it up to Snape's lowest levels of expectancy.

Kuwabara, it seemed, took to copying Yusuke's actions in most of their Potions classes, therefore resulting in explosions and the risk of poisoning at the end of every class period. Hiei took the incentive to point out to the ape-like man that, after three or so weeks of botching up potions (no thanks to his copying of Urameshi); he should have learned to depend on himself to make the brews. Kuwabara responded to that comment by crashing over to Hiei (in the process knocking over his cauldron and spilling its acidic contents all over the floor), and grabbing him by the collar.

Arrogant and sarcastic threats were exchanged until Snape cast a silencing spell on the both of them, then ordered them to clean up the mess and spend the rest of the period removing the intestinal tracks of small rodents.

Hiei himself was well off in his four classes. However, his Charms were below average. One day he got so frustrated while trying to get the "swish and flick" motion with his wand in order to perform "Wingardium Leviosa," that he incinerated his feather and left a burn mark on the tip of his wand. In his other three classes he maintained the level of ability that was equal to average, considering his lack of wizarding background.

Yukina was doing well in Charms and Transfiguration. She had, as Yusuke and Kuwabara did, some trouble with her Potions class. She did nowhere near the damage that the two troublemakers did, but when given a knife and told to slice or chop, Yukina nearly always ended up coming close to taking off a finger. Most of the time, though, Kagome would catch her mistake in gripping the knife and would silently correct it before harm was done.

Snape wasted no time in loudly bemoaning the atrocities of half of his forsaken class, and daily took the time from his 'busy' schedule to berate Yusuke and Kuwabara, and to subject Yukina to his impatience at her inability to measure correctly. Hiei usually ignored this until it came to the point when Yukina was on the verge of crying, and then he and Snape found themselves in a verbal battle that was so fierce, you could feel the heat in the room emanating from Hiei, and Snape's beady eyes were snapping with indignation. The issue was resolved by Snape turning his eyes away first, and after that, the Potions master left Hiei's secret sister alone.

It soon became apparent that Kurama was bound and determined to go for Sainthood when it came to these new academics. He excelled in all of his classes, which included their four core classes. The other Tantei had rarely seen Kurama in his study-mode, as most of the time they were off fighting crime. Over the summer they realized exactly how much work he put into every aspect of his learning.

As for Kagome, she had decided from the beginningsto make up for her absences and poor grades at her former school. She made up her mind that nothing would stop her from achieving the highest she could in all of her classes, and indeed, she let nothing get in her way. As soon as they were dismissed from Grimmauld Place at 5:30, she would bury herself in her notes and study until their supper was done, at 6:15. Kagome would hastily excuse herself from the meal after eating very little, and would return to her room to study for another few hours, and then practice the new spells and techniques she'd learned about that day in class and from her books.

On the average night, Kagome would stay up until one in the morning, or later, if she had helped one of her friends (mainly Yukina) in their studies, and made up the lost time afterwards. Often, she would skip breakfast to do another fast review of the things she'd covered the night before. At least every other week Kagome would ask to review with Kurama on what he had learned and shocked him with the amount she had covered on her own.

"If you are not careful," he warned her after one such review, "you'll run yourself into the ground."

Kagome simply smiled and said, shaking her head, "I haven't been sick in two years and I've done much more strenuous things than reading and writing, Kurama."

"Hmm…We'll see," He replied.

Indeed, Kagome did seem to grow tired and look a bit peaked, but she was still pulling strong. This wasn't a large concern among the others, though, because everyone was beginning to show signs of constant stress—even Hiei.

The mid-week review helped greatly. The Saturday review was also only a half a day, as the teachers were restricted by orders from the Headmaster himself to not give out or expect homework due on that day. This fact was one of the only things that kept Yusuke from walking out and demanding to be transferred back to Japan on some days.

The time from noon until well after dark was devoted to physical activity and fighting practice. Mrs. Weasley was always sitting on pins and needles when she watched these events, even though the rest of the family saw it as a spectacular show that required popcorn and snacks. There were several times when Molly was just short of physically restrained from going to Dumbledore. For instance, the time when Kuwabara was recieved a concussion and was in a coma for four hours. Or the time when Kurama's arm was slashed open and the cut hit an artery, resulting in his loss of blood until Yukina could heal him, with a little of Kagome's assistance in making a poultice.

Kagome and Yukina also put on a bit of a show on Sundays, to provide an outlet for their idle, knowledge-numbed minds. Kagome was put up to tests of marksmanship—granted she still had trouble hitting the bullseye, but her aim had greatly improved. Her colorful hamayama varied in color from light pink to dark blue or purple lit up the dusky skylines.

Yukina herself had tapped into her creative side and took to seeing how intricate she could make ice crystals that she created. Mrs. Weasley grew very fond of ordering delicate teakettles that the koorime had a tendency to make, that ranged from two inches long to regular sizes. Using her nails, Yukina would scratch the intricate illustrations. It was mainly up to the Weasley children to come up with the most creative requests for ice sculptures.

The most inventive ones included a two foot high replica of Arthur, a colored ice sculpture of the family's car (interior included), and a four foot high replica of the Burrow itself (which she accomplished in three hours, much of that due in part to Molly, who cast a spell to show Yukina any view of the house she desired, at any time). It was during these times that the bonds of companionship and friendship grew and solidified.

The weeks flew by at top speed, and the student's minds expanded hourly to hold the new information glued into their brains by the potion given to them by Snape. It was a week before their final exams, or the equivalence of the normal fifth year OWLS.

During that week they were all stressed beyond fathoming. Snape assigned a seven page essay on the major topics of Potion making and techniques, and required them to make the top three Potions that had given them each the most problems.

Lupin gave them in class reviews all week and a vague idea of what they would be tested on. The reviews were over the basics, then they expanded each day. No one, unsurprisingly, had any problems with that subjects.

McGonagall was more than a little overbearing with the fact that half of the class was having trouble transfiguring their turtles into tissue boxes and porcupines into pincushions. Therefore, she assigned all of the students three creatures to transform into binoculars, shoes, and a pewter statue of the creature they transfigured. It wasn't much trouble to most of them, but Yukina, Kuwabara, and Hiei ran into some issues with their projects; Hiei's shoes were for two left feet, Kuwabara's binoculars (once an owl), still had feathers, pupils in the lenses, and a beak, and Yukina's statue of a gecko was still moving when the transfiguring was complete.

Charms class review was mostly painless, Kagome and Hiei both managed to trip up in several areas of their questionings, but got it straightened out by the end of the week.

They had one full weekend off at the end of the summer before their big tests and nary a one of the teens wasted a moment of it—that is, if sleeping until nigh on noon wasn't counted against them. Sunday night, Team Urameshi put on a show that surpassed even the wizards' imaginations; even though, unknown to them, the team was just having fun and being dramatic for their audience's pleasure.

Yukina outdid herself on her masterpiece—it was another one requested by Ron, and it was a life-sized statue of the captain of his favorite Quidditch team (whatever _Quidditch_ was!) on his broom in full armor. George put a charm on it to make it zoom around until he melted and his limbs began to fall off. Kagome even managed to explode her target with an extremely powerful hamayama.

The first half of Monday was devoted to Potions, and each had to make a potion specifically selected by Snape as the most difficult in each of their ability ranges. Each student filed into the attic room one at a time to be tested orally by the Professor and to create the potion he selected for them. Kagome came out with a large smile on her face, however Yukina returned shaky and nervous, but Kagome assured her that she would've done fine. Kuwabara came out very last, and told everyone that they would have their scores in by Saturday.

From 1:30 pm until 5:45 that night was devoted to the testing of Defense Against the Dark Arts. They all had to face and ward off a boggart (in a private room with only Lupin involved). It was rather strange watching Hiei and Kagome's fears, compared to the others'. All of the other boys' fears involved their loved ones dying, or so they said. Kurama's boggart transformed into his mother, lying dead and bloodied on the floor, while Yusuke's took the form of a dying Keiko. Kuwabara saw Yukina dead, but on the other hand, Yukina herself saw just a black fog that Lupin later described to her as the fear of the unknown. Contrary to all of their fears, Kagome and Hiei stood out. They had done this in class before, and Lupin knew what to expect, but he never thought that they would show up in such detail…

Hiei stood firmly when the lid of the chest was released and the boggart came out; there was a pause as the creature considered what to change into, when all of a sudden, there was a POOF! And the mirror image of Hiei himself stood facing the fire demon. He glared defiantly at it, raising his wand and saying firmly, with fire in his eyes, "Riddikulous." The boggart was forced back into the chest. Lupin thought that he might've killed to know what Hiei could've imagined being funny about himself, as nothing changed when he'd said the spell. But the look on the hybrid's face as he left the room was more than enough to stay the professor's questions.

Kagome's turn came last and she stepped into the small room, where Lupin greeted her warmly. She took a deep breath to prepare herself for the scene that had given her nightmares after her first experience and nodded for him to unleash the boggart. The beast took not the form of a singular thing, but it replayed things beyond even a wizard's imagination. It cast itself thinly over the classroom in a mist as it set up the characters to be played. In earlier practice, the fear was different every time and yet revolved around the same theme. This time, however, it appeared that all elements had finally come together.

The scene was of a bloodied field, a slain female who could've been Kagome's double, and another, slightly older woman with a monumental boomerang over her shoulder. There was a young man carrying a staff with jangling keys, a large cat, and a little fox thing on its back.

In the center of the field was another young man in red with a gargantuan sword and a much taller, older man in white with a boa on his shoulder—both were faced off against an octopus of a thing. Long tentacles raced for the silver-haired men and both deflected the appendages, though now one could see the blood dripping from wounds on their bodies.

Helpless cries from an unseen girl begged the men in center field to be safe, although she should've been watching the 'dead' woman on the other side of the field. The woman rose again and came at the unseen girl and the other characters with her arrows.

Kagome was shaking and sweat was pouring down her face as she was caught up in the memory. Lupin had to shout at her before she snapped out of her trance to think clearly. _Think funny,_ she told herself. She tried very hard and imagined the two silver-haired men in the clearing in pink frilly dresses and their hair up in braids and bow ties. "Riddikulous!" Kagome shouted. The boggart dispersed and Lupin forced it back into its confines. She continued to mutter the spell under her breath even after the beast was gone.

Lupin wordlessly handed her a piece of chocolate and opened the door for her.

When she finally re-emerged from the room, she shut the door behind her and collapsed back against it; she had to be carried by Kurama back through the fireplace and placed in her bed, as she had passed out cold.

The next morning rolled around and Kagome woke with the dawn, feeling none of the after-affects of her loss of consciousness. She was hammered with questions of her state of mind etc., but Kagome assured them that she was fine and it was just a passing thing.

_What did she see in that boggart, I wonder?_ Kurama asked Hiei telepathically.

_Her past,_ Hiei answered easily.

_How do you know?_

_None of your business._

Kurama dropped the matter, since Hiei was obviously feeling obstinate. No matter; he could find out later.

Their Transfiguration tests all went excellently, and in Charms Professor Flitwick told them all that only two of them would be taking it as fourth years, and the rest had passed at fifth year level and would be ready to take sixth year Charms.

That Friday their results came in. An owl from the Headmaster himself was sent in, along with congratulatory comments on all of them passing most of their classes with no lower than a fourth year average. He also said that this was to be considered a phenomenal accomplishment (Yusuke, however, described it as mental suicide and a miracle that this whole 'magic and mirrors thing' had held his attention this long).

A list was attached to the paper with their classes and their grade level at which they would be taking them.

**Kuwabara:** Potions—4, DADA—6, Transfiguration—5, Charms—4

**Yusuke:** Potions—4, DADA—6, Transfiguration—6, Charms—4

**Hiei:** Potions—5, DADA—6, Transfiguration—5, Charms—5

**Kurama:** Potions—6, DADA—6, Transfiguration—6, Charms—5

**Yukina:** Potions—5, DADA—5, Transfiguration—6, Charms—6,

**Kagome:** Potions—6, DADA—6, Transfiguration—5, Charms—5

"That's amazing," Mr. Weasley said, looking over their shoulders. "Not a single one of you got a class below fourth year! Brilliant work, you all!"

"Wait a moment," Yukina said, snagging onto Kagome's sleeve. "We are just going into the sixth year, correct? Then why are there sixes on our reports? We aren't skipping a year, are we?"

"Oh, I think that just means that we are ready to begin classes with the other sixth years, is all, Yukina," Kagome reassured her. "The fifth year classes are the ones that we'll have to take with the year below us—that's not such a bad thing."

"Oh, I see now!" The koorime nodded, smiling.

"This calls for a celebration dinner!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, smiling cheerily. "I'll make anything you want!"

Orders of at least twenty different Japanese delicacies came flying at her and she amended herself apologetically, "Well…maybe not _anything_…"

Even if they didn't get to eat any of their traditional cultural food that night, they did feast well; Molly saw to that! After dinner the teens sat down around the large table and began a few rounds of poker (except Hiei, who was merely a spectator), which led to bets, which led to the loss of a few belongings and more money. Until Mrs. Weasley found out that is, and they were all sent up to their beds.

Of course, they simply re-congregated in Yusuke and Kuwabara's room and continued to play until Yukina fell asleep over her hand and Kazuma carried her back to her bed. Kuwabara himself passed out around 11:30, and the Weasley children, whom threw in their cards around midnight, left the five Japanese alone and bid them goodnight. After the twins, Ron, and Ginny had gone, the others continued to play until around one thirty.

"Okay, you guys," Kagome said, rubbing her forehead and eyes with her palms, "I give in; Yusuke has sucked me dry of any more of my belongings that I'm willing to give up and Kurama has taken every yen I own, so I'm done!"

"Took you long enough," Yusuke told her, grinning madly at her. "You'd think that you would learn after the twentieth losing game in a row that you're screwed."

"Thanks, Mr. Sensitivity," Kagome said sarcastically. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

Kurama chuckled slightly, bringing her attention to him. "And _**you**_, '_Mr. I'll Go Easy On A Beginner'_, can kiss my rear-end because you looked at my cards every single chance you got!"

Kurama shrugged carelessly, but his vivid eyes sparkled in merriment. "It was not a fault of mine that made you keep revealing your cards—it would be cheating _not_ to look."

"You have a very strange logic," Kagome remarked dryly.

"That's Kurama for you though," Yusuke told her. "You see, he's got it all worked out. At school, he's Mr. Goody Two-Shoes, and on a mission, he's all business and got that cool, calm, serious thing going on. But he'll be the first one to suggest a good game of Strip Poker, I'll guarantee you!"

"Yusuke!" Kurama exclaimed, the audacity of his friend surprising him. _Then again,_ he told himself, _this was_ _**Yusuke**_ _he was talking about!_

Kagome turned to Kurama, laying her cards facedown. "Oh _really_? Strip Poker? That could be…" She got a thoughtful look on her face and then shook her head. "Not the way I play…I'd be the **only one** butt-naked!"

Yusuke got a perverted grin on his face and Kagome jabbed him in the ribs with her fingers. "Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"I can assure you, Kagome, his head was not in the gutter, it was in his—" Kurama began.

Kagome slapped her hand over his mouth to silence the kitsune. "_**Don't you dare**_ finish that sentence!"

There was an odd pause after that, followed by soft chuckles that soon spread across the three of them into uproarious laughter. "Idiots," Hiei muttered from his seat by the window. He'd watched them play the night away and the lack of sleep was making them act more unruly than they usually would—even _Kurama_ was loosening up!

"What a waste of time," he mumbled. He then decided to run to the opposite side of the house (via roof and some trees) to sit with Yukina for a little while. He hadn't had a chance like this to spend one-on-one time with his twin since he could remember. So what if she wouldn't know that he was there? It eased his mind to know that he could (and would) watch over and protect her. Quickly, he departed.

"Okay, well, that's more than enough fun for me for one night!" Kagome said, standing and stretching. "Good night, guys!"

Kurama stood as well, his verdant eyes quiet once more. "I think I will be turning in as well…It's almost three in the morning and we've got to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow for our remaining supplies, and the other Weasley children will be needing their school things as well. Good night, Yusuke."

"Night, Kurama, night Kagome," Yusuke yawned, stretching out, fully clothed, on his bed.

Rubbing his head, Kurama followed Kagome out of the room. He caught her just as she was about to enter the room she'd shared with Yukina this summer. Now was the time to bring up something that he'd been curious about since he met her earlier that summer. "Kagome?"

"Huh?" Kagome asked wearily, looking at him in hooded, half-closed eyes.

The redheaded kitsune reclined casually against the door jam opposite hers and rolled his head back, speaking to her, but gazing at the ceiling. "It's been quite the summer, hasn't it?"

A bit taken aback, Kagome nodded but said nothing.

Kurama now changed his focus, looking levelly at her. "You came here with a mission, Kagome. I can see it in the way you throw yourself into our studies. What is it that you are trying specifically to accomplish?"

"I—" Kagome began, backing against the wall, even though Kurama had made no advances.

"Everyone has a story," Now he did push off of his resting spot and crossed the hall to stand in front of her in less than two steps. "I wonder…What is yours?"

There was a moment when Kagome thought, as his brilliant green eyes stared down at her, that he would kiss her. He leaned in, tilting her chin up to face him more fully. Kagome bit her lip in apprehension—she'd never been kissed before! Would her first be with this devilishly striking young man before her? He leaned in, tilting his head slightly and Kagome sucked in her breath through her teeth, in terrible apprehension.

"I've watched and wondered since you first arrived," Kurama said abruptly, pulling away without seeming to realize the stress he was putting on her maiden heart that was now pattering unspeakably fast in her breast. "You share the look of my comrades and myself—you have seen battle and seen death." Again Kurama tilted her head and his, but only to study her face more intensely. "Maybe…you have even been the cause of a death."

Those words struck deep chords in the part of Kagome's soul that she thought she had kept buried and hidden. Her breath caught somewhere between her nose and lungs, suspended momentarily as the sentences he spoke hit home.

"And yet, you retain the innocence that Yukina has, and still your eyes hurt like I haven't seen in a long time. Why would you come so far away from your home, and carry such a burden? Are you running from something?"

These words were hitting too close to home! Kagome's defenses came up, making her temper flare unusually high. "Why are you asking me all of these stupid questions!" she snapped, glaring balefully at the kitsune. "What business is it of yours what my past is!"

"You mean what your past _was_?"

"No! Yes!" Kagome stopped to think about this for a moment. Just as her temper was reaching its peak and she was about to say something that she'd definitely regret, Kurama managed to catch her off guard _again!_

He gave her a soft-lipped kiss right in the middle of her forehead, smoothing back her bangs with one hand and squeezing her shoulder with his other. "Good night, Kagome." Kurama left to his own room, leaving Kagome dumbfounded in the doorway to her own room.

"What on Earth…just hap…" Kagome shook her head. It was much too early to be trying to figure this out—it could wait until morning. She turned to enter her room and almost had a heart attack when she saw glowing red eyes in the shadows of her bed, staring animalistically at her. She then saw that the eyes were attached to a short body encased in black and sitting in the way of a stray moonbeam, catching his eyes on fire. "Hiei," Kagome exhaled, putting a hand to her racing heart. "You scared me!"

The short man stood from his position on the foot of her bed and gave her a bland look.

When he remained stationary and silent, Kagome began speaking. "What are you doing in here, anyway?"

"Yukina has a tendency to have bad dreams." Was his indirect reply. Even though Kagome knew that he and Yukina were siblings, he still didn't like to directly acknowledge the fact that his secret really wasn't so much of a secret anymore.

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him oddly as he watched his sister. "Yeah, I know. I've had to wake her from them more than five times this summer."

"I know you have."

"How could you? Your room is across the hallway." Kagome stated, her curiosity piqued.

"Just because that is where I was stationed does not mean that that is where I remain."

"So you spy on us?" she asked, somewhat suspiciously. _Don't tell me he's a short, dark version of Miroku!_ She prayed quickly.

"Not you. I keep an eye on her when I can."

Kagome sensed the edge in his tone and simply nodded, deciding to let it drop for now. He was looking so softly and sorrowfully at his sister as he made his way to exit that Kagome's heart ached to make him feel better. "Hiei, you can stay in here and keep watching over her, if you'd like."

Hiei stopped and turned to face Kagome, a lightly surprised look on his face. His raised eyebrow was enough to make Kagome explain why.

"Well, it's only a few more hours till sunrise anyway, and you need to spend more time with her, even if she is asleep. You can even have my bed, if you wanted to sleep close to her."

Hiei's eyes narrowed at the bold offer but simply shook his head. "I don't need sleep." He had apparently felt that he had outstayed his welcome, despite Kagome's offer, and was out of the window in a second.

Kagome stared after him; he too sometimes reminded her of her InuYasha—quiet and moody when he felt crowded. Shaking her head and crawling under the covers of her bed, she felt the heat left by her feet where Hiei had been sitting. She smiled and looked out of the window where she swore she saw the glare of crimson eyes. "Good night, Hiei," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Kagome rolled over and fell quickly to sleep, readying herself for the nightmares she, too suffered from.

Outside the window, Hiei looked back inside the room, first to Yukina and then to Kagome. "Thanks," he muttered briefly and returned to the room he shared with Kurama, sitting in the windowsill until dawn.

It seemed that Molly had known about the teens' late night and fully intended to teach them a lesson about staying up on evenings before eventful days. It was at the meager hour of 5:00 AM that charms of foghorns, crashing drums and the popping of firecrackers caused a great ruckus. Mrs. Weasley visited each of her children's rooms (including her "adoptive" children) with this army of annoying and startling sounds, making sure each of them was up and jumping.

Hiei had fled, hearing this coming a long time before Molly even reached his room, and Kurama had charmed his ears to block out the noise. Yukina and Kagome were both downstairs as soon as they heard the ruckus coming their way, grabbing their clothes and purse bags as they flew out of their room.

The Weasley children and Yusuke and Kuwabara were not so lucky. They were all woken uproariously by Mrs. Weasley's devices, and all came downstairs moaning, holding theirs heads, and even cursing under their breath.

"Mum, what the hell was all of **that** for!" George demanded.

"First of all, watch your mouth! Second, I told you lot to get to bed, that we had a big day today! You all went upstairs and kept up with your game until almost sunup! I figured that you needed a lesson taught. Now, get the knots out of your knickers, go get dressed, and eat some breakfast! Your letters came and I want to beat the crowd."

"But Mum, we're not even _going_ this year! We've got the shop to run, but it's not open for another three weeks!" Fred told her. "Why did we get the short end of the stick, too?"

"Because you still live under my roof, therefore my rules, and I _told_ you to go to bed with them, and you didn't, that's why!" Molly retorted. "You don't have to go with us to the Alley, but you weren't going to be excluded from the wake up call."

"Damn the luck," George whispered to his brother.

"GEORGE!" Molly hollered, over hearing his curse.

"Ah, sorry Mum." George looked properly abashed—most likely due to years of experience of cowing down before Molly worked herself up.

"Well, now that you're all up, go get dressed, and then we can eat a bit of breakfast and go."

"We're back to bed—you crazy lot can go on and go shopping, have a fun time of it," George said, bidding them goodnight, or rather, good morning.

"I'm with him," Fred said, following his twin back up the stairs.

"Lucky little—" Ron began, but stopped before his mother caught his next words. He and Ginny, who remained half-asleep on her feet, wandered back up the stairs to get dressed.

Kagome headed for the bathroom and quickly showered and changed, leaving the room open for Yukina's use. Kagome dressed in one of the outfits that she and her mom had bought together the day before she'd left to come to the Burrow. Just thinking about that shopping trip, Kagome decided to try something spur of the moment.

She went to her trunk, and at the _very_ bottom, she discovered the three pairs of torture devices she swore to never wear. Just as an experiment, she put one on, and found that it was on backwards. "Well," she said, talking to herself in agitation, "it's hard to tell with this thing! You know something is too small when the washing instructions are sturdier material than the actual **underwear**!"

Deciding quickly that these thong things were indeed every bit as terrible as she'd thought they would be, she once again, buried them at the very bottom of her trunk. "_Mom,"_ Kagome told her mother mentally, "_those things were a_ **complete** _waste of money! Speaking of Mom, though…I need to write her soon…"_ Kagome did a mental review and found that she hadn't written her mother in almost a week and a half! She immediately resolved to do so at the next opportunity.

Just as she finished re-dressing, Yukina returned with a well-restrained look of frustration on her pretty face. "Kagome-chan, I believe those Weasley twins have been playing jokes again."

"What do you mean, Yukina?"

Yukina removed the towel wrapped around her head and revealed a duplicate of what Kagome's hair had looked like at the beginning of the summer, when she'd tried those new brushes. "_I looked_ _**that**_ _bad, huh? Poor Yukina!" _"Well, call Mrs. Weasley up here; she fixed mine earlier this summer. I thought she'd done away with those brushes, though!"

"I did, too! That's why I didn't think anything of using one of them!" Yukina cried.

"Oh, it'll be alright, Yukina! Here, I'll go down and get her, you just wait."

Soon Kagome returned with Molly, who set about re-awakening Fred, who glumly handed over the combs that would de-tangle and undo anything the brushes had done. Slowly, in about twenty minutes, Yukina's hair had returned to normal, versus the neon yellow spiked hair, tipped in flaming rainbows that had shot up at odd intervals all over her scalp.

"There you are, Yukina. Now, come downstairs; everyone else is already begun eating."

The two girls followed the robust woman down the stairs and took their places at the table, selecting a few pieces of the breakfast, still, even after the entire summer, finding the Western food to be too heavy to eat much of. The girls were the last ones to sit down to eat, and so once everyone was done, Mrs. Weasley called them all up to the fireplace and the nine of them took turns using the Floo Powder to get to The Leaky Cauldron.

The famous pub was mostly empty at six in the morning, but there was a steady stream of people all heading out back to get into the Alley. "Trying to beat the crowd then, Molly?" Tom asked, wiping off a glass.

"Yes, Tom. And we've got a bit more to get for this year, you can see!"

"Ay," Tom said, nodding his head and eyeing the exchange students. "I hear you all passed yer exams and are ready to go, then?"

Various sounds of agreement rose from the six students, the girls smiling slightly in pride of their work.

"Going to the Alley to get your supplies?" He asked, looking up at them again.

"No," Hiei muttered to Kurama. "We just spent the entire summer studying for nothing and passed those exams for no reason at all and now we're just going to Diagon Alley for the hell of it."

Kurama chuckled slightly, covering his smile with his hand expertly.

"Well, you lot, let's get going," Molly said, closing her conversation with the innkeeper. She led them out back for the second time that summer, the lists of Ron, Ginny, Yukina, Kagome, Kuwabara, Kurama, Yusuke, and Hiei in her hands. "We've got to go back to Gringotts for some money, first."

"MUM!" Ron cried out suddenly, "What about Harry!"

"What about him, dear?" Molly asked.

"How's he gonna get his supplies?"

"Oh, Lupin is taking him tomorrow."

"We won't get to see him until the Train, then!"

"I'm sorry, dear, but with these circumstances, we just couldn't get him here this summer."

"And what about Hermione? She should be back from that vacation thing she was taking with her parents! She couldn't come with us today, either?"

"Well, I suppose she could've come with us, but you didn't think of it earlier, so maybe you'll spot her today."

"Damn it all," Ron cursed.

"Ronald!" Molly said in warning.

"Sorry, mum," he muttered, but kept repeating under his breath, "Stupid, stupid…Don't get to see any of my friends all freaking summer_, "There's not enough room under these __**circumstances**__…"_! Stupid…could've stayed with me an Ginny…damn!"

Kagome overheard his mutterings and whispered to Yukina, "He resents us being here because that meant that his friends couldn't come over?"

"I hope not!" Yukina replied, surprised at Ron's words, and hurt too. "I thought that Ron liked us…"

"He does," Kurama assured the girls, coming up behind them after hearing their words. "He is just upset right now. Come, it will pass."

After another round-trip ride into the depths of the bank on the wild roller coaster of a track and Kurama passing out more of his herbal stomach-calmer, they were off to the Apothecary's, Flourish and Blots, and the bookstore. For the first time, the Weasley children were able to go to the good store for their robes because of the money Dumbledore had paid to keep the transfer students. The two Weasley children got their robes and a brand new, expensive dress or (in Ron's case) dress shirt and cape for the Yuletide Ball.

"Alright, Ron, Ginny, we're going to Menagerie to get these six their animals. You may _not_ get anything!" Mrs. Weasley told her children sternly. "Now, we're going to a place to get your animals," Molly told the six Japanese students as they made their way to Magical Menagerie.

"We have to _what_." Hiei said in a dead tone, disbelieving as they stood abreast of one another just inside the doorway of the Menagerie.

"Just pick out an animal. Kurama, I know you said that you wanted to buy an owl for your mother, and as it turns out, the owl will simply have to fly to the Ministry of Magic instead of all the way to Japan. The Ministry is where some wizards will be specifically set to transport your owl to Japan, so your mail isn't delayed by the time zones the Muggles have set up. So, you should have enough to purchase another pet…

"The most popular ones are cats, owls, rats, and frogs. But, Menagerie has lots more to pick from!" Molly Weasley told them all. "Well, just go find one that you like, then!" She said, turning them loose.

Yukina wandered over to the cats with Kuwabara, and was glancing through all of the nice tabbies and grays, and blacks and others, when one tiny thing caught her eye. In the corner, all huddled up was a…blue kitten?

"Lady?" she called politely to the worker on duty. "Why is this one blue?"

"Oh, that one…we sometimes take in strays, or the ones people don't want. _That_ one got caught on the end of a permanent dyeing charm, so I'm afraid he's stuck that way."

"Oh, the poor thing!" Yukina was instantly scooping up the tiny thing, cuddling it to her breast with concern. The kitten immediately nuzzled the soft silk of her kimono and suckled on her finger for a bit of time. All it took was one look into the one black and one pink eye of the tiny baby for Yukina's heart to be won. "This one!" she proclaimed to Kuwabara proudly. "I think I'll name him Kawaii!"

In the meantime, while Yukina had been picking out her cat, Kuwabara himself had found the feline he dubbed "Eikichi", in honor of his former cat. The tabby had green eyes, was a female, and half-grown. It also seemed to have an infatuation with Kuwabara's Elvis-reminiscent hairstyle.

Yusuke, Kurama, and Kagome each got an owl. Yusuke had a large and brawny female Screech owl whom he named "Rei," as was suiting for his pet. Kurama purchased a darkly colored female Barn owl named "Koi," and Kagome couldn't take her eyes off of a Great Horned owl that had dark feathers sprinkled with white, and she named her Aisling.

Kurama wandered over to the cages where exotic animals were kept, his owl on his shoulder. His eyes caught on one certain creature, his Youko side awakening at the absolute irony of the animal. It was a snow-white arctic fox with golden eyes that had a sharp, intellectual look about him.

"Yeah, that's a sad one, that is," the saleswitch said from behind Kurama, seeing him looking over the fox.

"Why is that?" Kurama asked, still sizing up the baby.

"His mum was killed for her pelt a few days after he was born. It was lucky someone found him, elsewise he'd be dead now."

Kurama didn't hesitate to pull out his money. "I'll take him."

Kagome had meandered over to the cats by this time, and saw Yukina cuddling an adorable—however strange—looking blue cat that seemed just as infatuated with her as she was with it. Without even thinking about it, they slipped into Japanese. "Yukina, is he yours?"

"Hai!" she replied happily. "Someone permanently stained his fur blue and changed his eye color and so they sent him here! No one has wanted him before, because he looked so different."

"Oh, well now he's got you!" Kagome told her.

"Hai, Kagome-chan! His name is Kawaii!"

"Well that's suiting," Kagome replied. "I think I'd like a cat, too…"

"But, Kagome-chan, you already have an owl…"

"I know, but this one is for my Mom to be able to send me her mail. I told her that she could just keep her at home, so I'd like something to keep me company. Would you help me pick out a cat?"

Yukina brightened. "Of course!" The koorime placed her kitten on her shoulder, where it promptly crawled underneath her hair, which was tied back in her usual red bow tie.

The two girls skimmed the different cat cages carefully. They considered a beautiful gray female, but it was became apparent that she was aggressive when she was nuzzling Kagome's hand and another cat came up, the gray swiped at the other cat. Passing that one by, they looked over an orange and white cat, a tabby and calico. Kagome couldn't really decide on anything, and was just about to give up when her eyes caught on a very pale, furry kitten that was weaving its way through the others to get to the food bowl. It had dark-tipped ears, tail, and paws, and blaring blue eyes, with a beige body.

"Kirara…" Kagome breathed, staring at the baby in wonder. Then she shook herself out of it, calling herself ridiculous at even thinking that Kirara could've survived this long—even if she had, how on Earth would she have gotten here? But, real Kirara or not, Kagome's heart was now set on this little cat. In honor of the past and fierce Kirara, that was what Kagome called her. Kagome willingly paid the extra amount for a purebred Himalayan cat and set her on the shoulder opposite Aisling the owl.

Hiei had been sweeping through the store, watching as one by one his teammates and would-be peers chose a pet to keep by their side. Hn—stupid people. He didn't _need_ anything to keep him company—he liked his own companionship just fine, thank you.

"HEY!" was the shouted call that sent Hiei on full alert, looking through narrowed eyes for the source of the noise. He spied the worker on duty chasing madly after a white blur that was darting around the entire store, knocking over cages and tanks intentionally before spying Hiei. The thing clawed its way up his leg, then continuing up his chest, only stopping at his face because Hiei snarled inhumanly at it. The thing was identified as a long, thick haired white cat with large blue eyes in a squashed face, which paused and looked him right in the eye. It then purred at him, blinking slowly.

"Baka." Hiei snapped at it, brushing it down off of his body where it had been clinging.

But, as soon as the cat touched the ground, it wound around Hiei's ankles, purring happily. "Get away." Hiei ordered it, moving his left foot around, trying to dislodge the animal. "Stupid creature, go!" When the insolent cat refused to listen, Hiei mentally sighed in exasperation. "Baka!"

The cat looked up at him expectantly.

"Oh, no…" Hiei muttered. He'd unintentionally named the thing, and now it was only answering to him and to her name, _Baka_. "Will you not leave me alone?" he asked it again, only to get a quiet "meow", in response. Sighing aloud this time, Hiei walked over to the counter. "Come on."

Hiei took the cat up to the front desk and slapped down payment for it, then stalked over to where Kurama was just buying the rest of the supplies for his animals.

At Kurama's inquiring look, Hiei said simply, "Her name is Baka."

"Ah," Kurama replied, trying to hide his amusement.

"Shut up." Hiei told him, red eyes snapping.

Kurama covered his smile with his hand, deciding _not_ to point out the fact that already the cat had shed long white hairs on his black suit, and walked over to the door, where the others had been waiting with the Weasleys.

"All ready?" Molly asked them, eyeing their selections to see if anyone had picked up anything particularly…dangerous. Luckily, there wasn't. "Good, then get your animals in their cages and let's go back home."

The group cast, "Locomotor trunk!" on their school supplies, marching their new belongings back up the Alley and into the Leaky Cauldron, where they had to sit on their trunks and hold onto their creatures in order to get all of their things back to the Burrow.

The children took their things upstairs with Mrs. Weasley's order to get their things in line for school, since they were leaving for the train in two days. Kagome, Yukina, Kurama, and Ginny all followed this order immediately, whereas Ron, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei all blew it off for later and went outdoors. The twins were out back on their broomsticks, practicing Quidditch, and Yusuke, who had been practicing with them lately, started up a game to practice. The other boys went out to watch.

Kagome set her kennel for Kirara on the floor and let the kitten out, setting the litter box for her on the floor at the foot of her bed. She set Aisling's cage on top of her bed, after explaining to them both (in Japanese) that they were **not** to leave the room. Surprisingly, they both seemed to nod in understanding. "That's interesting," she said quietly. Kagome shrugged and went back to putting her things in their individual trunks.

The last two days of their vacation went by quickly, with the eight students of the house scrambling to get last minute things packed and put away, and Fred and George standing by every minute, laughing and poking fun at their younger siblings, and giving tips to the Japanese students about homework and teachers. "It's a shame, though…" Fred said, looking at their trunks, stacked by the door. "Gonna miss it, you know?"

"Not gonna miss the work, mind you, but our Trading is going to suffer a bit…but Jordan said he'd take it over. No Quidditch, this year, either…" George said sadly.

"Hey, Urameshi's good enough to take a spot—Beater, I'm thinking…Maybe Kuwabara'll get the second?"

"That's presuming that they make it into Gryffindor, dear twin." George reminded his other half.

"Oh, they will. You know it, I know it, and I know they know it too!"

"Where'll the rest of 'em go, you think?"

"Ah…Hiei might go to Slytherin…Kurama will make Ravenclaw, easy. Koorime'll go to Hufflepuff, for sure. Higurashi's probably gonna go to Ravenclaw."

"Yeah, well, you lot make sure to write us back and tell us who went where, alright? And Urameshi, you and Kuwabara make sure to give everybody hell—Peeves can't handle it all himself."

"Peeves?" Hiei asked.

"You'll know him when you see him."

"Believe us, you _will_." Fred said, a grin on his face.

"When is your shop opening?" Kagome asked the twins.

"Next month, we think. We've just got to duplicate all of our pranks and package the foods, and move it all in. If you'd like, we can give you a catalogue for ordering ahead of time. Beat the Christmas rush, you know." George told them, pulling out a two-inch thick ordering catalogue from nowhere.

"_And,_" Fred said, jumping on the bandwagon for sales pitches, "since you all are so dear to our hearts, we'll even give you a twenty percent discount on all feature-altering foods and give you all a two-week supply of Skiving Snack Boxes!"

"What?" Kagome said, not sure she heard right.

"Skiving Snack Boxes! You put one in your mouth and it makes you sick to get you out of class. Once you're excused, spit it out and you're free for the rest of class!"

"Sounds like fun!" Yusuke said, arching an eyebrow.

"You can't skip classes like you did before, Yusuke," Kurama reminded his friend. "You _will_ get caught."

"But if I'm sick…" he left the sentence open suggestively.

"Well, if you're really sick or not, most of the time the teacher will send you to Madame Pomfrey's; we wizards have a cure for about anything." Ginny said, jumping into the conversation as she came from upstairs, her trunks following behind her obediently.

"Damn!" Yusuke cursed, slamming his fist into his palm. "I knew there'd be down sides to this whole transfer deal!"

"You've had all summer to figure that out, _Yusuke_," Hiei told him dryly.

"Thanks for the input, _Hiei_," Yusuke replied sarcastically.

"Hn."

"Has everyone got everything ready?" Mrs. Weasley said, bustling in. "Arthur should be home any minute, so we can have a bit of supper. Ginny, go and set the table, please."

"Yes, Mum." The red head set off, getting out the plates and silverware that had been jinxed to set themselves once taken out of the cupboard.

"Now, the train leaves at 11 o'clock sharp, so we'll have to be to London by ten…Why don't I wake you all up at eight?" There were nods of agreement and Molly smiled at the ease of which that was decided. "Excellent!" The door opened and Mr. Weasley stepped in, gray in the face. "Arthur! Are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Fine, fine, Molly. Just…work."

"He says work, he _means_ Percy," George whispered to the six students.

"Percy? Who's that?" Kuwabara asked, leaning down to join the conversation.

"We don't discuss him. He disowned us and our name, and Dad helped him to do it. He got his knickers shoved to far up his arse and got all uppity about having a higher position at work than Dad. Couldn't take it anymore, and we had a right good argument—damn near a brawl! Percy moved out and we haven't had much contact since. Sometimes they'll have a go at it at work, and that's when Dad comes home all shaky."

"Oh, I see." Yukina said, nodding with wide eyes.

"Well, let's sit down, and have a nice meal, then it's an early bed for you all! And I _mean_ it!" Molly said, giving the children of the table "The Eye."

There were various forms of "Yes Ma'am's" from the eight going to school the next day, and the meal continued in general chaos until the dishes were washed and put away.

"Kurama?" Kagome said, approaching the redhead after dinner.

"Yes Kagome?"

"Aisling is out hunting and I need to send my Mom a letter. Could I borrow Koi?"

"Actually, I was going to write my own mother tonight. It's a relief now that we don't have to borrow the Weasley's owl for our mail. Perhaps Koi could carry both letters?"

"Sounds good! Let me write her one really fast, then I'll get it to you, okay?"

Kurama nodded and followed Kagome up the stairs, parting ways with her at their separate doors. "Damn!" Kurama muttered when he entered his room, surveying the damage. The sheets from his bed were laying on the floor in shreds, the coverlet in not much better condition. Pillow feathers were strewn all over, courtesy of their explosion by a certain over-curious young fox kit breaking in his new teeth. Scratches and gnaw-marks littered the bedposts and the feet of the two chairs in the room. A stench from the corner of the room told Kurama that Youko had not yet discovered the litter box he'd bought for his use.

_Scratch that,_ Kurama thought, seeing the chips and gravel-like substance sprayed across the right side of the room. _He found it all right._

"Youko…" Kurama sighed. Hearing his name, the fox came trotting out from under the bed Hiei was supposed to sleep in (_supposed_), one of the fire demon's spare bandanas in his mouth. The namesake for the other part of Kurama's soul had an innocent and happy-go-lucky look about him, and an air of self-satisfaction.

"Look what you've done! This is terrible…" Kurama said in exasperation.

The kit cocked his head to one side, as if to say that he had no idea whatsoever of what he'd done, and if he _had_ done anything, he most certainly wasn't sorry. Slapping a hand to his head, Kurama drew his wand out from behind his left ear and said, "Scourgify!" to each area of the tattered room. The bed re-made itself neatly, although the sheets and coverlet were in shreds and the pillowcases (now empty of their former feather stuffing) were put back on the bed. The litter gathered and poured itself back into the pan, and the wood gouged out from the legs of the furniture swept itself into a pile in the middle of the room. To the pile of shavings, Kurama held up his wand, "Deletrius." The pile disappeared.

As for the goose down feathers littering the room like snow, took a bit more work. Finally deciding to gather them all easily would require a spell with more concentration. Focusing his mind on what he wanted accomplished, Kurama said firmly, "Accio feathers!" Not only did he get all of the goose down from the room, but the spell also brought his owl, Koi, who was hooting in indignation.

"Sorry, Koi," Kurama said, smoothing down her ruffled wings as she perched on his arm. The owl hooted softly, nipped his ear in a reprimand that reminded him of his mother's attitude when he'd done something bad.

Once his room was put back to sorts, Kurama went over to the large desk put there for their homework and grabbed the letter addressed to his mother. Koi was placed on his shoulder and Kurama went back across the hall, knocking on Kagome and Yukina's door.

"Come in," was Kagome's reply.

Kurama did so, and looked around the room in quiet wonder. He'd been in this room only a few times over the summer, when tutoring was needed or he had to carry one of the girls to bed after they'd fallen asleep over card games or the like. He saw the change of their room over the summer.

At first, the room was new and clean and fresh. The paint was new and stank of the putrid acids of the coats of soft yellow, cream, and pastel pink. The desk that the girls shared was identical to the one in his own room. But what was earlier covered in Kagome's pictures from home, was now empty…packed away for school. One of the large Western beds had been removed so that Yukina could have a place on a homemade futon; she had complained (quietly, of course) that she hadn't been sleeping well on such a soft mattress with so many quilts and pillows. The Weasleys had appealed to the Headmaster, who had supposedly paid for all of their furniture, and he immediately had the bed removed, and replaced it with her current one.

Also, there was now a strong scent of chilly morning dew and late-afternoon sunrays—that was Yukina's signature scent. There was also Kagome's personal scent, which could be described by Kurama as ocean water, heated by noon's sun, and balmy sandalwood. The two girls' smells were engraved into the very essence of every piece of furniture in the room. Not only that, but there was quiet evidence that they'd truly moved in and adopted that room as a safe haven.

The rug in front of the window over the garden was out of order—someone had tripped over it recently and not put it straight yet. There was a wear mark on the cushion of the bay window—someone had spent hours watching out of that glass. The wooden floor glistened in cleanliness, but the corners were dusty. There was a barely distinguishable wear mark in the soft floor wood of the clear figure-eight pattern someone had paced into the wood. No doubt that wear mark would only get clearer as the years the girls had to complete their courses rolled by.

It was as he was taking all of this in that Kurama realized that Kagome had been trying to get his attention.

"Kurama!" Kagome yelled quietly, slapping her hands together in a loud clap.

The kitsune's eyes widened, but there was no other sign that he'd been caught off-guard. "Yes, Kagome? I apologize, I was not listening."

"Obviously!" Normally such a remark would be considered sarcastic, but Kagome said it kindly and with a smile. "Anyway, I finished my letter—here it is. It's just that I'm starting school tomorrow, wish me luck, write me back often, I'm doing fine, my results were good…you know. The regular stuff."

"My letter as well," Kurama said, nodding as he took Koi off of his shoulder. "Let me attach these…And…There. Take this to the Ministry, Koi." Kurama opened Kagome's window, mindful of the "Tripping Rug" and let his owl out with their letters.

"Thanks again, Kurama!" Kagome said, smiling brightly.

"Not a problem," he replied, making his way out of the room.

"Hey, Kurama?" Kagome called, uncertainly.

"Yes?"

"About last night…Umm…To answer your question…Well, as best that I can for now…I came here to start over. So I wanted to make a good impression."

"You say to start over, but make sure that you have made peace with your past and are not simply running from it. If you just run from your past, I have a knowledge that it tends to show up in your future."

Kagome seemed taken aback by this and Kurama watched her walls and barriers strengthen to keep his words from affecting her. _It's a shame that she has to do that to keep her emotions in her control,_ Kurama thought. _It will end up hurting her more than helping._


	6. Green, Gold, and Yellow

**A/N:** The Sorting Hat's Song in this chapter was created and made up by myself, so any plagiarism and heads _will_ roll! It was all thought up by me. The only disclaimer I will put on that thing is the fact that the Sorting Hat and anything that he sings about is not mine. I simply put it all together. Do I make myself understood? Good.

**Chapter Six: Green, Gold, and Yellow**

"Come on! We're going to be late! We've got to get GOING!" Molly chided her two youngest, the male of which had put off packing until the morning they left. Not only that, but Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Ron himself had all slept until 9:00, which put them even further behind schedule! Mrs. Weasley was about ready to pull her hair out and the others made a point to steer clear of Hurricane Molly if at all possible.

Finally, at 10:30 Molly had successfully gotten all eight of the students, herself, and the twins (who had decided to tag along to say goodbye) out of the door. By ten till 11:00, they were all at King's Cross Station and all had their trolleys with their trunks and creatures. It was five till when they had made it on to Platform 9 ¾.

"Goodbye, dears! Don't forget to write! Ron, stay out of trouble, say hello to Harry and Hermione for me, and Ginny, keep an eye on your brother for me! Kagome and Yukina, you two have fun and write me too! Yusuke and Kuwabara, I'll tell you what I told the twins—don't make me come back to that school! Hiei—well…take care, dear. And Kurama, you watch over the lot of them!" All of this was shouted by Molly as the eight boarded the scarlet train, waving and shouting farewells along with the other last-minute arrivers. Fred and George called out last warnings and reminded them of the Christmas Special that they would get for ordering from their shop in the next three weeks.

Finally on board, having given their luggage and animals to the baggage people, the group split, with Kagome, Yukina, and Ron going to find 'Harry' and 'Hermione', with Ginny splitting off to find her own friends. Yusuke and Kuwabara went the opposite direction, Kurama and Hiei trailing behind them.

Yusuke finally found them a box that had only two people inside—a short, round boy and a skinny, toe-headed girl who was reading a magazine entitled, "The Quibbler". The boy looked up nervously from his seat and asked with wide eyes, "Who are you?"

_Bold question from a weak person,_ Hiei mentioned telepathically to Kurama.

_Bold, yes, but maybe not weak._

_Hn._

"I'm Yusuke. The one that looks like a horse's ass is Kuwabara. The red-head is Kurama and the short one with the attitude is Hiei."

"I assure you, Yusuke, that I am quite capable of giving out my name when and to whom I wish." Hiei said nattily.

"Jeez, just trying to be friendly," Yusuke muttered.

_At least he's_ **trying** _for a good first impression,_ Kurama said to Hiei.

_Hn._

"Nice to meet you. I'm Neville Longbottom and that is Luna Lovegood."

"I, too, am quite capable of answering questions directed at me, thank you, Neville." Luna said, bulbous, electric-blue eyes peering at them from behind the magazine.

"No question was ever asked to know who _you_ were," Hiei said harshly, trying to get a feel for these two's personalities.

Luna blinked slowly at Hiei, as if lost in thought. "Hmm," she said softly, making a considering noise. "You never did, did you?" She returned to her reading.

_What!?_ Hiei thought, aghast at this girl's behavior.

_She's a strange one,_ Kurama replied.

"Hey, you mind if we sit in here?" Yusuke asked, driving the attention away from the quick spat between Hiei and Luna.

"No, not at all," Neville said, gesturing for them to come in. "So I take it that you're all new?"

"Yeah," Kuwabara said, taking a seat beside Luna as Yusuke sat across from him, pressing Neville up against the window, and Kurama sitting beside Yusuke, and Hiei beside Kurama.

"Where are you from? You've all got weird accents."

_Bold little…_ Hiei seethed quietly.

_Hiei,_ Kurama told him in slight reprimand. _Calm yourself! Why are you acting so callous?_

_I don't like this boy. He has too much sense and too little knowledge of how to use it. He_ annoys _me._

_Keep your temper, we must remain low profile._

_Says who?_ Hiei asked in challenge, although he knew very well whom Kurama inferred to.

_Says Genkai. Our powers will be new and strange, even to these people. Therefore, Lady Genkai recommended that we lie as low as possible._

_Genkai is halfway across the world—I don't really care_ what _she recommends_.

_You should._

_I'll hold my fire as long as he doesn't do anything stupid like challenge me._

Kurama figured that this was the best promise he would get out of his friend, so let it be. All he could hope for was that this Neville wasn't so thick as to approach Hiei.

It's too bad that that was too much to hope for.

The girls and Ron had little trouble finding the car that held Harry and Hermione, and the introductions were quick and they all hit it off marvelously.

Hermione, in Kagome and Yukina's opinion, talked too much about one subject for too long, but she was tolerable with a kindly personality. The Harry Potter boy was introduced to them as if they were presenting someone mentally unstable. Kagome and Yukina decided to ignore this oddity and treat him just like everybody else, although Kagome did notice the strange scar on Harry's forehead.

"Excuse me, Potter—Harry, I mean," Kagome said, leaning forward. "Where did you get that scar?"

Harry's face flushed and he muttered, "Never had to _explain_ what happened before…" he glanced up and grimaced at having to recall all of the horrible memories thinking about that damned scar of his brought back. Bloody red eyes and cold, scaly skin…brr! It was giving him the creeps already!

At his lengthy pause, Kagome took it as a sign of unease and replied smoothly, "If you don't want to talk about it, it's alright. I know how that all works."

Yukina had been studying Harry's head quite intently for some time now, her wide, warm, crimson eyes careful and calculating. "Mr. Potter—Harry, I meant—do you wish to keep that scar?"

Hermione, Ron, and especially Harry turned incredulous looks on the koorime. "K—Keep…_**Keep**_ it!" Harry stuttered. "Bloody hell, **NO**! But it's not like it's my _choice_!"

"I could heal it for you, if you'd like," Yukina offered, kneeling on the ground in front of Harry.

"You—You _can't_ though!" Hermione protested. "That was put there by dark magic and it's a—a _curse_! I don't know what will happen if you try and remove it!"

"I wouldn't remove it, Miss Granger. I would _heal_ it."

Hermione paused, her lips twitching in thought. "Still…It could backfire and do something terrible to you!"

Yukina turned soft orbs to Harry and looked at him steadily. "It causes you much pain, doesn't it, Mr. Potter? Do you not want that gone?"

"Well…yes…but, but I don't want you getting hurt trying to do anything about it!" Harry said hurriedly, waving his hands frantically to make Yukina understand.

"Then let me try it. I've been working privately on my healing skills all summer—I should be able to do it."

"I think she's talked herself into doing it, so why don't you let her try?" Ron said, jumping in.

"Well…" Hermione said, still unsure. Her eyes were slightly glazed and anyone who knew her would know that she was browsing her mental library for any possible after-effects on either of them. She obviously came up with nothing, as she let her sentence hang. "Alright…but be careful!"

"Of course," Yukina replied softly. She kneeled and put her hands on Harry's forehead, just barely grazing the skin, still puckered and reddish, after all of these years. Her eyes glazed over slightly and her pupils turned a glowing white, her hands an arctic blue-green. After ten or so seconds, sweat began to break out on her forehead, and her arms shook.

Harry himself had his eyes squinted shut and tried not to yell as icy hot fire—from Yukina or the scar, he couldn't tell—and then there was a piercing hot spike in his temperature. Now he did shout, falling back into his seat. Yukina fell back with a soft cry, her hands red and bloody. As soon as she was able, she refocused and sent her healing into her hands; in seconds, they were healed.

Kagome herself was reeling from the battle of powers that had just ceased, having begun as soon as Yukina tried to begin the healing process. The evil and the pure energies had immediately begun to fight, the darker energy warding off and at the same time, feeding off of the healing energy. Without realizing it, Kagome had tried to aid Yukina by giving some of her own purity to assist. However, when it still didn't work, Yukina had had no choice but to pull back after only fifteen seconds; otherwise the dark energy would've sucked her soul dry of its purity.

"Oh, no! I _knew_ something like this would happen!" Hermione bemoaned, at the same time checking Harry's vital signs, as he was out cold. Kagome was helping Yukina to sit up at the same time.

The koorime held her head in her hands, gritting her teeth together. "I thought I could do it, Kagome. I was making quick progress on the outer rims of the skin, and then there was a sudden wall put up around him. I tried to break it through to continue, but it just…_hit_ back…Miss Granger was right…that is not a scar begotten by good means! Not at all! Not at all!" Yukina was holding off her tears—crying would only make the situation worse, not to mention if she did, billions worth of her tear gems would go scattering everywhere—exactly what they _didn't_ need!

Kagome could tell her friend was on the verge of hysteria. Something else had happened while she'd tried to heal Harry, she could tell. "Shh, shh, Yukina," Kagome said, quieting her friend. "You tried. I'm sure Mr. Potter is not upset with you, are you Mr. Potter?" Kagome questioned, looking up at the boy, whom was now sitting up, awake.

"No, not at all…It did hurt a bit…but at least you tried." Harry said courteously, not quite sure he was comfortable being called "Mr. Potter" by anyone but Snape.

"I am sorry that I harmed you, Mr. Potter."

"Ah, please stop calling me that—"

"You would prefer Mr. Harry, then?"

"No, no," Harry said quickly. "Just Harry is fine, thank you."

"So, you are obviously new to the school," Hermione said, leaning forward intently. "Ron wrote us about you, but he just said that there were six of you. Where are you from?" _Eastern Asia…Thai…no…Chinese, maybe Japanese, would be my guess,_ Hermione thought to herself.

"Tokyo, Japan." Kagome answered.

_Close enough,_ Hermione answered her own question. "Really? I've always been interested in the culture…very traditional in ancient times…refined and dignified, right? What did you two do in Tokyo?"

"I lived on a shrine, with Master Genkai. She taught me much of my healing skills." Yukina said.

"I lived on a shrine, too. My family's—the Sunset Shrine. My grandfather is the groundskeeper." Kagome explained briefly, thinking of her own room, her mother, brother, grandfather, the steep stairs leading up to the shrine, of course Goshinboku, and the well…InuYasha, Shippou, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara…. Kagome shook her head violently. _No!_ She told herself. _I will NOT start thinking of them now! It's too soon!_

"That's very interesting! Could you tell me some legends, maybe? I've read a few, and they are so fascinating!"

_I know a great legend,_ Kagome thought dreamily, and yet with sorrow. Kagome shook her head and forced the tears back down. _The ending was never written,_ she told herself.

"I don't—" Kagome began, but just then, the door to their car was thrown open and a very bedraggled Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama appeared with a very pissed-off Hiei in Kurama's tow.

"So you are from Japan, huh? That's interesting! What's it like over there? Do you have to wear those dress-things? Is it cold in the winter? What city do you live in? Where is that? Is it just genetic, or is everyone supposed to be really short over there?" Neville was being quite uncharacteristically talkative, shooting off all kinds of questions at rapid fire, while Luna sat aside, reading _The Quibbler_ quietly.

With every word, Hiei was growing more and more agitated with the boy, only Kurama's presence beside him keeping him from ripping out the brat's vocal cords. _One more word, Kurama, and you_ won't _be able to stop me from harming him!_

_You won't lay a hand on him, Hiei._

_Who said I would harm him physically?_ Hiei countered, focusing enough of his energy on his Jagan to awaken it just slightly.

_Hiei,_ Kurama said in warning.

Hiei didn't reply—his ruby gaze boiled on Neville's plump form.

Yusuke was too busy trying to answer this strange boy's questions to notice the change in the car's temperature, but Luna did. "It is getting quite warm in here, don't you all think? Oh, I think it is coming from the little man, there,"

The "little man, there" was most unhappy with her phrasing, which set him off even worse. "Humans," Hiei ground out in disgust. He stood, fully intent on advancing on Neville, then Luna, but Kurama stood as well, as did Yusuke and even Kuwabara.

"I'm sorry, but I think we'd better be going," Kurama said politely, motioning Yusuke and Kuwabara to walk behind Hiei; with Kurama in front, he'd have an escort on all sides. "We'd better find Yukina and Kagome."

Soon enough, they did find the car that the girls and Ron were in, and by then Hiei had had a chance to cool down, at least somewhat.

"Oh, hello!" Yukina greeted them with a smile, despite the happenings of the last few minutes.

"Phew! It _reeks_ in here!" Yusuke said, his left eye squinting in distaste.

"It wasn't me!" Ron denied immediately.

"No, not like _stink_…Who set off a Spirit Bomb in here? This whole car is charged freaking full of energy!" Yusuke said casually.

"Yukina tried to do some healing, but it backfired," Kagome explained.

"What do you mean _backfired_?" Hiei questioned intently, his eyes snapping.

"She tried to heal my scar," Harry said, sitting forward. "It…fought her off our out…or something…"

"It didn't allow my healing inside—there was a blockage."

"Blockage?" Kurama asked. "I've never come across someone with a block against healing." As he said this, he stepped forward to examine Harry's head more closely. He raised his hand and passed it twice in front of the lightning bolt-shaped scar and his brows furrowed deeply. "I see. This would indeed give the most accomplished healers a very difficult time. That is a soul-deep scar, Yukina. That is why you were unable to heal it."

"Soul? Deep?" Ron asked, very confused.

"Oh," Yukina said softly, a look of dawning recognition on her face.

"Soul-deep—what do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Well," Kurama said, with a soft sigh, "A regular scar, gotten by any means, can be healed with the right treatment. However, there are different levels of scarring. The skin level is only, obviously, skin or bodily deep. These can be fixed or healed. The next and _only_ other level is soul-deep—the skin can have a mark or not, but the signature and essence of the thing that caused the scar is embedded into the person's soul until that problem is dealt with. That problem can be a fear, a guilty conscience, or another person's mark and after-effects. Fix the problem, and under _most_ circumstances, the skin's scar will heal."

Hermione seemed startled by this newcomer's knowledge—especially since it was knowledge that was new to her. "Interesting…I've never read anything about soul scars…Wait a minute, wait a minute! Yukina tried to heal Harry, and her hands and eyes glowed! She didn't give him a potion, or a draught, or use her wand, or anything! All she did was use her hands! And you," she gestured to Kurama, "waved your hand in front of Harry's face and could tell it was a soul-scar. What type of magic do you practice!"

"Eastern magic—energy, as it is known to us." Kurama said.

"So we're weird, get used to it!" Yusuke said loudly.

"I already _knew_ that you were weird!" Ron said, earning a slug on the arm from Yusuke and an indignant, however not very intelligent reply from Kuwabara.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your names…" Hermione said, letting her sentence draw out, changing the subject.

"We didn't state them," Hiei reminded her coolly.

The girl blushed and re-phrased. "I don't believe we've been introduced yet. I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Harry Potter."

"Pleasure," Harry said, nodding.

"And you are?" Hermione prompted.

"I am Kurama Minamino," the redhead said, nodding once.

"Hiei."

"Yo, I'm Yusuke—Urameshi, that is. The ape is Kuwabara."

"Shut-up, Urameshi! I'm NOT an ape! I am the Great Kazuma Kuwabara, Best Fighter in Japan and Future Husband of the Beautiful Yukina!"

"Oh, Kazuma!" Yukina said quietly, blushing politely. Her voice was lost under Yusuke's loud protest of Kuwabara's claim at being best fighter.

"Bullshit you are! I'M the best, you bastard! Who won the Dark Tournament, huh? Who fought Sensui? Who has saved YOUR SORRY MONKEY ASS more times than I care to count? Huh? ME, that's who!" Yusuke said proudly, not really noting the horrified looks on Ron, Harry, Hermione, and even a bit of a shocked expression on Kagome's face.

"What's the _Dark Tournament_?" Ron asked, not that anyone would tell him.

"Who's Sensui?" Harry questioned.

"Don't get smart with me, Urameshi!" Kuwabara continued, over the British teens' questions.

"Would you even be able to _tell_ if I was getting smart with you, Kuwabara?" Yusuke replied nattily.

"Shut up, Urameshi!" Kuwabara demanded, towering over Urameshi by at least sixteen inches.

"Boys," Kurama said, trying to calm them down, but Kuwabara pushed past him to get into Yusuke's face—even if he had to bend down to reach it.

Kurama's eyes flashed gold and he grabbed onto Kuwabara's forearm in an iron-like grip. Kuwabara stopped his verbal assault then, looking down in surprise at the usually passive kitsune. "**Stop, now. We cannot afford to stick out here**." The absolute venom in his voice was as good as dumping ice water over the two argumentative young men.

"Well, if _that_ was your plan, I think that's blown out of the water, mate." Ron said, not noticing the cold air emanating off of Kurama. He did shut up when the redhead turned that icy stare of green flecked with gold on him. "Uh…right." Ron gulped and glanced nervously at his best friends. "They weren't like this at all over the summer," he whispered to Harry.

"Our apologies," Kurama said, eavesdropping on his words to Harry. "Tensions are high for us, not being used to so much energy condensed into one place. Our already…irritable members of the group…have felt this and, when provoked, you will find some of us to be quite inhospitable."

"…Right, then…" Ron muttered.

"Please, sit down by me, Kazuma," Yukina said, patting the seat beside herself. At this invitation, Kuwabara didn't hesitate and plopped down immediately by her, ignoring the holes Hiei attempted to burn into his head.

Once Kuwabara was calmer, Yusuke relaxed as well and sat in-between Hermione and Kagome, with Kurama taking a place beside Kagome. Harry had the window seat across from Hermione, with Ron beside him, and Yukina followed by Kuwabara. Hiei chose to lean up against the corner of the box, staying silent.

Soon, there was a friendly witch who came by with a trolley loaded with trays of sweets the Japanese students had never seen. "Something off of the trolley for you?" the witch asked the nine students.

"I'll take four Bertie Botts, a pumpkin pasty, and three cauldron cakes." Ron said, passing over the money (while Hermione and Harry looked on in amazement—never had Ron had so much "loose change" to spend on candy!).

"I'll have two cauldron cakes, please," Hermione requested, handing over the money required to pay.

"What all is there?" Yukina asked, looking the cart over curiously.

"Well," Ron said, around a mouthful of pasty. "You got Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, they're really good, and then there's—"

"Ron, stop! It's disgusting watching you talk with your mouth full!" Hermione chastised. "There's Fizzing Whizbees, and Ice Mice, and Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes—"

"There's something else new this year, too, my dear. We're selling Muggle candies now!"

"Really?" Hermione said, sitting up, her attention snared. "What have you got?"

"We've got some…Starbursts…they don't burst at all, though…Not stars, either…such _strange_ folk, those Muggles! Now, let's see…and some Hershey's chocolates…from America, those two kinds. And…Swedish Gummy Fish, they don't look very real, and they don't swim, but I suppose they taste alright. And we've got some Pocky, twelve flavors—not very _inventive_ flavors, if you ask me! Muggles really could use some imagination¾ "

"Pocky?" Yusuke asked, perking up. "You say you have Pocky?"

"Twelve flavors," The witch repeated.

"I'll take two of each kind!" Yusuke announced, shoving the money at the witch.

"Make that a double order!" Kuwabara said, pushing his own pay at the slightly overwhelmed witch.

"Ah…anything else for you, then?" she asked, flicking her wand and sending the amounts requested to the glutinous boys.

"I'll take two Starbursts, a strawberry Pocky, and I'll try one of those Bertie Bott's, too." Kagome got out her purse to pay the witch, who handed over the candies and went on her way.

"What are those Starbursts, Kagome?" Yukina asked, leaning over to look closer.

"Here, just try one." Kagome passed a pink one over to her friend, then proceeded to pop one into her mouth, wrapper and all.

Everyone sat forward immediately, concerned for her mental well being at such an action, but Kagome seemed completely aware of what she was doing. Her mouth worked and in about ten seconds, she pulled the wrapper of the Starbursts out of her mouth, perfectly flat.

"Oh…" Hermione said, softly.

"That was interesting, Kagome!" Yukina said, applauding several times. "How do you do that?"

"Well," Kagome said, swallowing the last of her piece. "All you do, is take one of these, and put it in your mouth, and use your teeth to get at the edges, and just…pull it apart."

"I'd like to try that, Kagome, if I could," Hermione said hesitantly.

"Sure, here you go," Kagome said, passing a yellow one over.

"It…can't be _**too**_ tough, after all," the girl said, putting it slowly into her mouth.

Yukina followed suit, and Kagome put another into her mouth. Unbeknownst to them, they three girls had hypnotized every male in the box.

_Star…bursts…?_ Hiei thought numbly to Kurama, who was just as dumb-founded.

_So it seems,_ Kurama replied.

"Uh…" Ron said stupidly, staring at Hermione's mouth.

"Herm…(gulp)" Harry said, unable to tear his eyes away from his best female friend.

"Sugoi…" Yusuke muttered, gawking blankly at Kagome, who announced,

"GOT IT! Eight seconds, that's a new record for me!" She smiled happily, breaking the trance among the males.

"Oh, no fair!" Hermione whined, still working on her piece. "Mine is dissolving!"

"I got mine, Kagome!" Yukina said happily, revealing her wrapper, soggy and falling apart, but off of the candy nonetheless.

"Great, Yukina! Want another?" Kagome was offering her friend one, but Kurama's hand shot out and grabbed the red-wrapped candy in haste.

"Ah, Kagome, why don't you try some of those Beans you bought?" _Before all of these_ **little** _boys are driven out of their minds with lust,_ he thought to himself, barely masking the scorn and at the same time wishing he had allowed the girls to continue. Somehow, Hiei caught his thought and chuckled malevolently aloud.

_You were affected too,_ Kurama reminded him. Hiei shut up.

"Huh?" Kagome asked, surprised with his change in subject. "Oh, alright." She opened the domed box and drew out a dark red one. "Oh, strawberry!" She popped it into her mouth.

"I don't think that's—" Harry began, trying to warn her exactly _why_ they were called "Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans", but her face was already contorted in disgust.

"YUCK!" she shouted, spitting the half-chewed bean into her palm. "What _is_ this? It tastes like—like _blood_!"

Hiei's eye twitched and he subconsciously leaned closer to silently incorporate himself into the conversation—only Kurama noticed this.

"What on _Earth_…"

"Now you know why they're called "Every Flavor Beans". They really do have _every_ flavor!"

"Even…rubber and cotton and salt and that sort of thing?" Yusuke wanted to know.

"I've had bugger, and pepper, salt, earwax, grass, dirt, flower, worm, liver, wood…"

"Don't they have any _good_ tasting flavors?" Kuwabara asked, eyeing Kagome's opened box warily.

"Oh, sure! Sherbet, orange, peach, butter, popcorn, root beer, strawberry, marshmallow, and all other sorts!" Hermione said, grinning.

"That seems very strange…" Yukina said.

"Welcome to the Wizarding World," Hermione said. She looked at her wristwatch and looked out the window, where the sun was just about gone down. "Oh, no! We've got to get our robes on! We girls can stay in here to change, but you boys better go to the caboose. We're going to be arriving soon!"

In about twenty minutes, the train pulled into the station at Hogsmeade and the students got off of the train. A giant of a man stood, towering over everyone, calling out in an accent so heavy that the Japanese could hardly understand him, "Firs' years, firs' years and transfers to me! Firs' years and transfers to me!"

"I guess we'll see you at the school, then," Ron said to the six transfers, going off in another direction to a line of carriages drawn by fearsome, red-eyed horses.

"Wait a minute!" Kagome said, tugging on Harry's sleeve, "What are those…those _things_ pulling those carriages?" The Tantei and Yukina gathered around Kagome, all curious about the fearsome beasts.

"You can see them? All of you?" Harry said, dumbstruck.

"Of course we can _see_ them! We're not blind!"

"Well, I can see them too, but you're not _supposed_ to be able to see them unless you've seen death."

Kagome snorted. "I've seen so much death it's not even funny. Regarding these boys' pasts, I'm guessing that they've seen as much as me and probably more. Yukina's seen her share, too."

"Really? When did you—"

"Harry!" Ron called from the door of one carriage. "Come on, we'll be late!"

"I'll ask you later. Go see Hagrid—he's the big one calling for first years and transfers. I'll see you at the feast!"

"Well…okay," Kagome said. "He never did tell us what those things were called," she muttered in disappointment.

"It's alright, I'm sure we'll find out later." Kurama said in assurance. "We'd better go see this Hagrid, or we'll be left behind."

The six meandered over to where the giant man stood, holding a lantern and ushering scared looking eleven year olds into boats. He turned when they approached him and grinned broadly. "You must be the transfers the Headmaster's been talkin' bout. I'm Hagrid, Groundskeeper and Professor of Care of Magical Creatures. Why don't you all get into a boat—three to a craft, and we'll be on our way."

The six split into the two groups; Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Yukina in one vessel, and Kurama, Hiei, and Kagome in another. The lanterns hung off the bow of the boats cast eerie reflections on the still waters of the broad lake. Then, without warning, the boats shoved off on their own, moving through the waters, silently propelled forward by an unseen force.

Suddenly before them loomed a gargantuan castle with towering spires and intimidating heights.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Hagrid's booming voice echoed over the water.

In the carriage, Ron, Harry, and Hermione began to discuss the houses they thought the transfers would be placed in.

"That Hiei guy will go to Slytherin, easy!" Ron said.

"Was he the really short one in all of that black, with the spiky black hair?" Hermione asked. "Brr! He gave me the creeps!"

"And Yukina, that girl with the turquoise hair, you know? She'll make Hufflepuff. All summer she was a mediator when that Urameshi and Kuwabara started getting into it!" said Ron.

"What about that Urameshi and Kuwabara, anyway? What house do you think they'll make?" Harry asked, joining in the conversation.

"Yusuke will probably make Gryffindor—Kuwabara, too. Kagome and Kurama will both make Ravenclaw. All summer that's all that those two did—study, study, study! It was almost ridiculous!"

"I study a lot too, and I didn't get Ravenclaw!" protested Hermione.

"No, but the Hat wanted to put you there, and then it changed its mind."

"Huh!" Hermione huffed, averting her eyes.

"Anyway, Fred and George are betting on what houses they get, so I've got to write them back and tell them who went where."

"Sounds good," Harry said, as the carriages rolled to a stop outside the school. "Let's go!"

When the boats reached the far shore, everyone stepped out and gazed in awe at the splendor of the layout before them. Hagrid led them up the stairs and into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts and up another flight of stairs to wait for another teacher's instructions. He left them there, exiting to the left.

Not two minutes later McGonagall appeared to them, her hair pulled back into a bun at the base of her neck and sweeping robes opened that same door on the left that Hagrid had exited from.

"Attention, everyone." Her voice was cracked and aged, but her back was ramrod straight, making her seem very much imperious and one not to be taken lightly. "When these doors open, you will be led into the Great Hall and I will read your names off in alphabetical order. You will stand in quiet order as the Hat performs its ritual song, and then, when your name is called, you will approach the stool. You will sit on the stool and I will place the Hat on your head, and it will sort you into your house for the rest of your years here at Hogwarts. Now, you six transfer students, you will be called up after the first years have been sorted. Does everyone understand? Good, let's go."

The staunch witch pulled open the seemingly heavy doors with much ease and led the odd hundred or so new students into a long hall, where candles floated mysteriously above their heads.

"Oh, look up!" Kagome said, pointing to the ceiling, not seeing all of the stares they were receiving.

The other five looked up and were startled to see the ceiling didn't seem to be there at all—instead they were looking up at the night sky—clear as crystal and each star shining especially bright.

"Amazing," Kurama breathed. _Truly a wonder-filled world,_ he thought to himself.

Professor McGonagall brought out a tattered, brown-aged hat and sat it on the stool. There was dead silence, when suddenly, a tear opened itself and the hat began to sing!

"When age ago and I was new,

I was sought upon to sort the few

Of the cunning, quick,

Courageous, and kind.

To Ravenclaw went the swift of mind,

To Hufflepuff was the patient kind.

In Slytherin those with cunning and sly,

Divided too, I put Gryffindor with courageous eyes.

But there is one problem to my scheme;

And this was once what only I could dream.

But among the four Houses still divide,

Many terrible rivalries still rampant ride.

I have no way to mend this err,

But should those of you, whom truly care,

Begin to make amends and see

That true power comes from a friendly rivalry.

Make not the mistakes as made before,

Take not revenge to even the score

Please chance to think in those bright young heads,

To look to one another for strength instead.

See within the bond you share,

Never again will the Houses tear.

For when the time of need is great,

Then will not be the time for tempers and hate.

Rise up as one, new and old

Students, Strangers, and teachers, together a sight to behold.

Only this way can we all be saved,

Only by the way this year shall be played.

For comes the Darkness known to all,

Join up now, weak, scared, short, and tall.

Seek the ones, who shine dark and light,

Embrace those of natural, pure, and fight.

Within these two and groups of three,

Shall come forth a great Prophecy.

Should we join with them, these strangers of kin,

We will rise and defeat any evil that dare stray in."

After the Hat had finished, there was a sort of quiet that comes when someone has been told something shocking and they are trying to process what was just told to them. Then, there was a hesitant clap that was answered with more hands and soon there was a thunderous roar of applause.

The witch who had escorted them into the hall unraveled a long scroll and began to call off names. One by one the frightened first years sat beneath the Hat, and one by one each was sorted into one of the four houses described by the Hat's song.

"I wish people wouldn't stare at us so," Yukina said to Kagome.

"Me too," Kagome answered, looking not at the pointed fingers and ignoring the persistent whispers, but instead studying her fellows. Yukina had shifted closer to Kazuma, as if for protection. Kurama had a relaxed stance, but a year of experience with InuYasha and some with Sesshoumaru said that he was ready for any sort of attack. Hiei, too, seemed indifferent to everything going on, but Kagome could see in the broad stance of his feet that he was prepared for a trap of any sort. Somehow, he reminded her of Sesshoumaru, more so even than Kurama did. Yusuke had his hands buried in his robes, looking around menacingly and staring down anyone who would meet his eyes. Kuwabara seemed to be getting very ticked at people, and the angrier his body language got, the louder and bolder the whispers became.

Just when it seemed that Kuwabara would just jump in and start pummeling the gossips, there was a male's voice that silenced everyone. They all turned to face the head table, where an ancient wizard with a tumbling white beard and long hair, wearing half-moon spectacles and bright purple robes stood up.

"To our returning students, welcome to another year at Hogwarts! To our new additions, welcome to your second home! As you have all probably noticed, we have six students here who are obviously not first years. These six have transferred to Hogwarts from Japan and have been tested this summer and have passed all of their courses with a minimum of fourth-year knowledge. They will be here at Hogwarts until all of their classes are completed at a seventh year level. I am sure that you will all make them—and all of our new students—feel welcome. Now, Professor McGonagall, please continue the Sorting."

There was a round of applause after his speech—obviously these students and teachers admired and thought greatly of this man. _The Headmaster, don't you think Hiei?_ Kurama asked the hybrid.

_Most likely,_ he replied.

McGonagall stepped forward again, this time with just a piece of parchment. "Urameshi, Yusuke."

Yusuke grinned and said out of the corner of his mouth to his comrades, "I'm up!" He stepped up boldly and sat on the stool as if he owned it. The Hat was set upon his head and in seconds the rip it had for a mouth opened and it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" to the Hall.

A cheer (mainly Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny) went up from the table decorated in red and gold and Yusuke swaggered over to sit by Ron.

"Kuwabara, Kazuma!"

Kuwabara stepped up next and the Hat didn't even rest on his head before it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Another wild cheer rose from the Gryffindor table, louder this time, as Yusuke's radical voice was added in.

"Koorime, Yukina!"

Hesitantly, Yukina walked up, and as she sat up on the stool, she shot a shaky smile at Kagome, who smiled back and gave her a thumbs-up.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The black and yellow table clapped loudly in welcome and Yukina smiled in relief. She had barely sat down when McGonagall read off the next name.

"Jaganshi, Hiei!"

Hiei uncrossed his arms and walked cautiously up to the chair. When he got situated on the stool, Kagome almost laughed out loud at how he was trying to look so intimidating from a sitting position—he was even shorter than before!

"_Ah, you seem to be the type to go to Slytherin, Mr. Jaganshi."_

_**Hn. I don't care where you put me, just get it over and be done with it.**_

"_Now, now, don't be in such a rush…Let me see…You have a lot of disregard for what others think…Slightly reckless…Powerful and at one time, power hungry…but I think that your best match for a house would be…_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Another cheer, wilder than before, went up and Hiei slid off of the stool, looking neither left or right as he went to his new House's table.

The noise hadn't even died down when McGonagall read off the next name. "Minamino, Kurama."

Kurama approached the seat silently—his shoes didn't even make a noise on the floor. His long legs were crossed at the ankles as he perched on the edge of the seat and the Hat was set upon his crown of fiery hair.

_Well, well…what have we got here?_ The Hat said in Kurama's mind. _Very smart, yes, very, very smart…You'd do excellently in Rave—What's this? You certainly have quite a split personality, Mr. Minamino,_

_**My other half thanks you,**_ Kurama replied dryly.

_I had thought you were a quick mind only, but it seems that I was mistaken. Youko, is it? I believe that I have a House that you'd be even better suited to than Ravenclaw._

_**Which is that?**_

"_Slytherin, those with cunning and sly"_ the Hat quoted from his earlier song. _You'd do marvelously well in that House, Mr. Minamino. Your other half would flourish._

_**That may not always be such a good thing**_ Kurama said.

_Oh?_

_**No, but I agree, it would seem that Slytherin House is the best choice, given all aspects of my personality.**_

_Very well, then!_

"SLYTHERIN!"

Gasps went up from the Gryffindor table and Ron leaned across to whisper to Yusuke and his other friends, "Why on Earth would he go to Slytherin!"

"He seemed nice…" Harry said, but his eyes already held the distrust granted to a _Slytherin_.

"He _is_ nice!" Kuwabara insisted, but he was ignored.

"I would've bet money that he would make Ravenclaw!" Ron protested again.

"He did seem the type for Ravenclaw," Hermione pondered aloud.

"You obviously don't know much of Kurama's past, then," Hiei said sharply. "Don't judge him before you get to know him."

"I had the whole summer with him, and I never—"

"No, you would be lucky to know what his favorite color is after only spending a few months with him," Hiei said snippily. _It took me hours to even get his name!_ He thought, thinking about their first meeting.

"I—" Ron was cut off by McGonagall's voice announcing the last one of their group to be sorted.

"Higurashi, Kagome!"

Kagome stepped up and, with her knees knocking took a seat on the stool, while McGonagall placed the Hat on her head.

_Ah, Miss Higurashi. I have another brilliant mind to sort, here…Let's see…Ravenclaw, it would seem would be good for you, but let's just dig a bit deeper into your mind, shall we?_

_Don't—_Kagome began, but she could feel the magic in the Hat slipping past all of her mental blocks on her memories and she could almost feel the shock of the Hat when it came across all of her suppressed feelings and memories.

_Well, well…It would seem that you, too, have another counterpart buried in you, Miss Higurashi!_

_I don't. Know. What. You're. Talking. About._ Kagome replied steadfastly. She'd worked this hard to block out Kikyo's last curse and it wouldn't do for her to be surfacing now.

_Oh, now, now, don't be touchy! This will be for your own good!_

_**What do you mean, my own—**_

"SLYTHERIN!"


	7. The First Night

**A/N:** I believe that the correct term for foreigner (at least some sort of strange person, not of Japanese descent) is "gaijin". I am not quite certain if it is "gaijin" or "geijin." I have it as "gaijin", but if I am mistaken let me know and I will fix it immediately.

**Chapter Seven: The First Night**

_Previously_

_Don't—_Kagome began, but she could feel the magic in the Hat slipping past all of her mental blocks on her memories and she could almost feel the shock of the Hat when it came across all of her suppressed feelings and memories.

_Well, well…It would seem that you, too, have another counterpart buried in you, Miss Higurashi!_

_I don't. Know. What. You're. Talking. About._ Kagome replied steadfastly. She'd worked this hard to block out Kikyo's last curse and it wouldn't do for her to be surfacing now.

_Oh, now, now, don't be touchy! This will be for your own good!_

_What do you mean, my own—_

"SLYTHERIN!"

Gasps from the Gryffindor table were very audible, and Kagome nearly feinted dead away. "_Again!"_ She thought in desperation, as McGonagall removed the Hat from her head and shooed her over to the green table.

"_Again!" _Her mental voice cracked as she forcibly held back tears. "_Won't I _**ever **_be free of her? All summer, that's all that the Weasleys would say about the houses! Gryffindor is the brave and loyal, Ravenclaw is the book-smarts, Hufflepuff is the patient and unbiased, and Slytherin is the evil, demented, dark, kill-you-as-soon-as-look-at-you House!"_

Kagome raised her head and scanned the Slytherin table; her eyes met with Kurama's, who sat at the very end of the table, self-isolated from the rest of the students. "_At least I won't be alone,"_ she told herself, not even thinking to ask why _Kurama_ would be put in Slytherin.

Kagome took a seat beside the kitsune and he smiled softly in greeting. "Welcome," he said, jokingly.

"I hope," Kagome replied.

Their conversations were silenced by the Headmaster's voice resonating through the Great Hall. "Well, now that the matter of the Sorting has been taken care of, there will be just a few start of term notes before we begin the Feast. First of all, I would like you all to welcome Professor Remus Lupin back as our Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher!"

At this announcement there was a mixed response among the students—most cheered, but Kurama noticed that nearly the entire Slytherin table was reacting negatively, or not reacting at all.

Their Defense professor sat back down and Dumbledore continued. "Thank you, I know he appreciates your warm welcomes. Now, we also have a new class to be taught for all years, Sans Wands, and it will be taught by Professor Jerome Myer."

A very tall, handsome man with curling black hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck stood, his black robes complimenting his dark features against his pale skin. Kagome rolled her eyes as she heard audible sighs of immediate infatuation arise from the female student body. Kurama caught her look and smiled. "Is he not suited to your tastes, Kagome?"

"I don't know what this 'Sans Wands' class is, but I guarantee it just became the favorite study of about ninety-five percent of the female student body."

"You didn't answer my question," Kurama pointed out.

Kagome colored slightly and shook her head. "He's too tall," she replied simply, turning away.

"Now, now," Dumbledore said, bringing attention back to himself as the chatter started to rise in volume. "You will all be getting your chances to meet with him in your classes. As always, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to any and all students. There will be no magic in the hallways between classes, and please see Mr. Filch for the newly updated list of items forbidden on school grounds. He asks me to remind you all that any student caught with an item from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes will have the item confiscated and the student will serve no less than three detentions. Now, enough chatter, it is time to eat!"

As Dumbledore said this, the tables filled with trays and trays of food, gasps of awe coming from the first years and the transfers.

Kagome looked in amazement at all of the options before her. "I don't know what half of this food is…" she murmured, but took a little bit of everything that came her way. She was involved in dishing herself some mashed potatoes when there was a loud shout came to her ears.

"HEY, GIRL! ARE YOU DEAF? PASS THE BLOODY PASTIES!"

Kagome's head shot up and she looked around to see a boy about her own age, with slicked back blonde hair standing up and waving his arms around, shouting at her. His words were over-exaggerated and too loudly pronounced. She shot a quick look at the people around him—all of them were laughing madly.

Looking around to find what he wanted, Kagome discovered that she had no idea what he meant by 'pasties'. "Umm," she said, trying to cover up in inexperience with the foreign food, "Wh—What kind do you want?" Kagome replied, looking up at the boy.

His laugh mocked her as he replied, "There's only one kind! PASS. THEM. UP."

Kagome took a deep breath and looked again for what he wanted. Kurama put a hand on her shoulder and whispered, "He knows that you don't know what he's talking about—he's trying to embarrass you."

"I _know_ that! What I want to know, is why he's being so rude! I never did a thing—I've never even _seen_ him before!"

"Obviously he doesn't need a reason."

"HELLO? PASS THE DAMN THINGS UP!"

Kagome's patience was giving way to her temper and she turned to snap a reply, but Harry's voice joined the fray from the Gryffindor table. "Leave her alone, Malfoy!"

The blonde turned and snipped back, "Got a problem, Potter? Keep your nose in your own business! I'm _trying_ to convey my _message _in a way a that she'd _understand_." Malfoy said, saying his last sentence directly at Kagome, over enunciating and making a face with every word.

"I'm _not_ stupid and I _can_ understand every word you say!" Kagome replied hotly.

"Could've fooled me!" Malfoy called back.

"Quit picking on her, Malfoy!" Harry shouted back.

Kagome turned to tell Harry that she could handle this herself and saw that Yusuke was barely restraining Kuwabara from pummeling Malfoy. "Chill out, Kuwabara! She can handle it!" Yusuke said, keeping a firm grip on his buddy's robe.

"I don't get how you can just sit by and let shit like this happen, Urameshi! One hit and that little punk would be out!"

Malfoy heard this and in an instant his wand was drawn on the tall carrot-top. "Just _try_ it," he challenged.

"GENTLEMEN!"

The shout silenced the entire Hall. Kagome looked up to see Professor McGonagall striding towards them full-bore. She stood in-between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables, and gestured Malfoy, Harry, and Kuwabara over to her.

"I would _think_," she said sternly, eyeing the two British boys, "That you would wait to begin your petty rivalry until at least the first day of classes. Obviously I was mistaken. I was hoping to not have to dock any points from any Houses on the first night, but I was proven wrong on that turn as well. Ten points each from Gryffindor and Slytherin." McGonagall looked at Kuwabara. "You, young man, have your priorities in order, but you must learn when and _how_ to act upon them. Mr. Malfoy, you will refrain from making fun of the transfer students. You are dismissed."

Malfoy flipped Harry the bird as soon as the Professor's back was turned, and Harry returned it, earning a reprimand from Hermione.

"Harry, what on Earth was all of that about?" Hermione demanded.

"That blonde brat was starting something with Kagome, that's what," Yusuke answered before Harry could.

"And _you_ were the one holding _me_ back!" Kuwabara replied to his friend.

"You need to take the Professor's words to your frail human heart," Hiei said, silencing all the Gryffindor Tantei.

"Wait, what do you mean, _human_ hea—" Harry began, but was silenced by a swift kick in the shin from under the table. When he looked around the table for who was guilty, he saw Urameshi looking all too innocent. "What was that—"

"Well, looks like it's time to be going," Hermione said, standing up, and they realized that the Hall was emptying. "Come on, you lot. Classes start tomorrow, you know."

"How do we know what we've got?" Yusuke asked.

"They pass out our schedules in the morning at breakfast." Ron said as they made their way up the huge staircases.

"AH!" Kuwabara shouted.

"What now?" Yusuke asked, almost bored.

"Those **stairs**—they just—they just—"

"Man, you _are_ new to our world, aren't you?" a boy said, coming up beside them. "Fred and George told me all about you lot. I'm Lee Jordan, by the way."

"Damn strange gaijin," Yusuke said, rubbing his head as they made their way up another staircase.

"What's a—" Jordan began, but stopped, as they had arrived at the painting that was the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Password?" A fat lady in pink silk demanded regally from her seat on a plump settee.

"Pay attention you all, especially you first years and transfers!" a girl with a long black braid and brown eyes said from the front of the group.

"Remind me again why _Parvati Patil _got picked to be a Prefect?" Ron said to Hermione.

"She earned it with her grades last year, that's why," Hermione said back, but her voice held some disdain as well.

"The password to get into our Tower is to be kept secret from all other Houses. The password will change monthly, and the one for next month will be posted in the Commons Room three days before the end of each month. This month's password is _Pepper Imp_."

The painting-door swung open obediently and the gathering of Gryffindors entered their Commons.

"There now." Parvati said. "Girls' dorms on the right, boys' on the left. Your last names will be on the outside of the door that you will be staying in."

"_She's_ certainly taking her duties to heart," Hermione said dourly.

"What, and _you_ **didn't**?" Ron said right back.

Hermione arched her eyebrow and glared stuffily at him, but said nothing.

"Where's all of our stuff?" Kuwabara asked.

"In your rooms, by the bed that was chosen for you," Hermione replied. "I'll see you lot later, I've got to unpack."

"Hey, where's Hiei going?" Kuwabara asked, craning his head to see where the short man was going through the crowd.

"Probably to find our dorm," Yusuke said, "Let's go too."

The boys, Ron and Harry included, followed after the two, and past the first story of dorms. "Weasley, Potter, Urameshi, Kuwabara, Jaganshi."

"Hey!" The voice belonged to the round boy from earlier on the train, Neville Longbottom. "They've moved our rooms!" Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas complained, approaching the group.

"They can't do that, can they?" Harry asked, noting that he and Ron had been put with _all_ of the Japanese men.

"They _did_, so obviously they _can_," Dean grumbled, coming up behind them. "We're on the first level now."

"Got stuck with a load of snotty little _first years_," Seamus said, crossing his arms.

"That stinks," Ron said, frowning slightly but moving on. "Well, we've got to get our things put away. We'll see you guys in awhile."

"Yeah,"

"See you," Neville said, following the other two boys back down the stairs.

"I didn't know that they could change our rooms," Harry said.

"Well, hate to say it, but it looks like you two are stuck with us for the year, huh?" Yusuke said, punching Harry on the arm as he entered the room, looking for his bed.

"Ow…" Harry muttered, rubbing his arm, but following the others inside.

Harry and Ron were still beside each other, on the left wall, with Kuwabara beside Ron, and Yusuke by Kuwabara. Hiei's bed was in the corner, beside the row of windows looking over the lake stories below. With Kuwabara in-between both Hiei _and_ Yusuke…There was _bound_ to be trouble!

Yukina made fast friends with many of her new housemates and found her new House very comforting and suited exactly to her personality. Her kitten, Kawaii, drew the attention of the other four girls in her dorm, and the poor little one had never had so much positive attention.

"You were telling us about Japan, Yukina! What was it like to live on a shrine?" Eleanor Branstone asked eagerly, leaning forward on her elbows in their dorm.

"And you said you wore…Keem…oh…nose…" Hannah Abbott said, just as eagerly.

"Oh, of course!"

Laura Madley rocked back on her ankles and chewed on her hair thoughtfully. "Did you bring one with you?"

"Ha—Yes. Would you like to see them?"

"Oh, yes!" Jenny Hanson, a tiny little fourth year, said instantly. "That would be simply _marvelous_!" She threw her arms up in the air as she rolled onto her back.

Hannah shoved her gently off of the end of the bed. "You think _everything_ is 'simply _marvelous'_!"

"Well, let's see, then!" Eleanor said.

"Alright," Yukina said, slipping off of Laura's bed (they all had been sitting on it), and going over to her own, unlocking one of her two trunks. She flipped open the lid and poked through her clothing until she uncovered her two kimonos. One was her old turquoise with blue obi, and the other was new—Genkai had bought it for her before she'd left.

Yukina smiled at the remembrance of the feisty old woman. She recalled her exact words when she had given her the gift, minutes before she'd left for Britain.

"_Here, Yukina,"_

"_Lady Genkai, I can't accept a gift from you!"_

"_Then don't consider it a gift. Take it as a token of appreciation for helping out around here."_

"_Oh, Genkai,"_

"_Unwrap it now, so you can pack it away somewhere where it won't get torn."_

"_It's…beautiful. Thank you!"_

"_You needed something different to wear, anyway."_

Yukina shook herself out of her reverie and took out the other kimono, wrapped in a protective scarf. The girls nodded in approval at the first, plain yukata, but when Yukina unwrapped the second one, they cooed in admiration.

It was a lovely, warm winter kimono, pristine white with vibrant orange flowers and trains of light blue rivers and tan and pink sakura tree outlines, completed by a dark purple obi that was decorated in bronze leaves.

"Oh, Yukina, I'm sure that you look simply _marvelous_ in that!" Jenny giggled, fingering the fine silk.

"Thank you," Yukina said, blushing and laughing.

"So, tell us about your friends," Eleanor prodded.

"Yes, those boys were simply—" Jenny began, when Laura cut her off.

"_Don't_ you dare say '**marvelous**' one more time!"

"I wasn't going to!" Jenny replied, miffed, but all in good fun. "I was _going_ to say that they were _simply_ scrumptious!"

"Do you have to use such big words all the time, Jenny?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah, I don't even know some of the ones you were saying earlier!" Eleanor added.

"Yes, I _do _have to use those words! It keeps you all on your toes to know that a lowly _little Fourth Year_ knows more than you!"

Laura laughed and shoved Jenny again. "Very funny,"

"What were we talking about?" Hannah asked.

"…I don't remember."

"You said that the men I was with were…simply…scrum—scrumpt…" Yukina struggled with the new word.

"Oh, yes! Those boys were _so_ handsome!" Laura raved.

"Did you see the one with the slicked back hair? You know, the one that was standing with his hands in his pockets?" Jenny asked.

"That was Yusuke Urameshi," Yukina provided. "But he is…how would you say…taken? Keiko Yukimoto, she is back in Tokyo."

"Oh, darn!" Jenny said sadly. She perked back up and said brightly, "What about that _really_ short one? You know, the guy with the white in the front of his hair and the white bandana on his forehead?"

"Hiei!" Yukina said in surprise.

The others were instantly on the trail of that comment. "Oh, do you think he's cute too?"

"I think you'd be cute together!"

Yukina was turning redder with every comment. To get them to stop she waved her hands and said loudly, "No, no! Iie! Iie! Hiei is…he is…like a…well, he is like a brother to me."

"Oh," they sighed. "How sweet!"

"After all, my own brother is…" Yukina trailed off.

"What do you mean, Yukina?" Jenny prodded.

"My actual brother has been missing since I can remember. You see…"

_How do I explain this without giving away my koorime background? Genkai said we were_ _not to reveal our demonic histories at any cost!_

"You see, we are only _half_ siblings, my brother and I. But my mother had a…an _affair_ with the…_enemy_ of my family line, and my brother was conceived. He was rejected from the family and my mother was forced to be rid of him. Since I have been old enough, I have been hoping to find him. Hiei has…well…Hiei is like a surrogate brother to me."

The four other girls said nothing for a few moments, then sighed in sadness and hope. "How sad…It's like it's right out of a Muggle drama novel! You fall in love with the man of your dreams, only to find out that he is your long-lost brother!" Jenny said, basking in the possibility of angst.

"You've been reading too much smut, Jenny," Eleanor chastised the younger girl.

"Besides, she'd have to fall in love with Hiei _first_ and _then_ find out that he was her brother!" Laura pointed out, none of them really noticing that Yukina was turning almost the same color of green as her hair at that thought.

"I hope you find him! Your brother, I mean!" Hannah said, griping Yukina's hands.

"Thank you," Yukina said, just barely aware that she should not allow herself to cry, lest the gems start to fall.

"So," Eleanor said, flopping back onto Laura's bed. "Hiei and Yusuke are out. But that _other_ guy…The red head? You all saw him, didn't you?"

"Kurama Minamino," Yukina supplied.

"Oh, _him_! I was curious what his name was…" Jenny said, smiling dreamily. "I'm going to say it this time, and Laura, you cannot stop me! _Kurama_," she seemed to savor the namesake. "is _simply marvelous_!"

They all laughed at the younger girl's antics and even Yukina had to smile.

"And _dreamboat_ grassy green eyes!" Hannah said.

"_Dreamboat_?" Laura repeated incredulously. "Since when do you use words like _dreamboat_?"

"Since I lay eyes on Kurama!" Hannah replied. She flopped over dramatically again, "Oh, be still, my beating heart!" The other girls giggled.

"But didn't you see? He got _Slytherin!_ He can't be very nice or polite or anything if he went _there_!" Eleanor said.

"Oh, but he really is the nicest person—" Yukina tried to get a word in edgewise.

"I don't care if he _is_ Slytherin! He's HOT!" Hannah replied adamantly.

"Kurama is not really interested in—" Yukina interrupted their chatter.

"Oh, no! Don't tell me that he's…_gay_!" Eleanor gasped, and the other girls fell over themselves trying to give Yukina puppy eyes and make her deny what Eleanor had just said.

"Oh, no! No!" Yukina replied instantly, shocked that they would think such a thing. "He is not…He just…has not taken any interest in dating. He is very academically motivated."

"You've spent an hour with Jenny and already her big vocabulary is rubbing off!" Laura moaned.

"Well, did you see that _other_ guy that came?"

"Kazuma!" Yukina replied.

The girls rounded on her instantly. "_That_ one sounded like an admittance of infatuation!" Jenny said, smiling eagerly.

"Well…yes…"

"_Him?_" Eleanor said, wrinkling her nose. "He's not cute at all!"

"Oh, I find him _very_ handsome!" Yukina assured them. "He is a _very_ sweet man! And so kind and gentle!"

"Sounds like _somebody's_ in loooovveee!" Laura sang.

Yukina blushed and that was all it took for the other four to go off about him spouting sonnets and singing serenades out of their window, talking well into the night.

Kagome and Kurama strayed behind the line of Slytherins that were going out into the Main Hall and down a long, cold passageway. They came to a stop in front of a plain stone wall, along with the other two hundred and forty-five or so other Slytherins.

"Attention!" A male's voice called from the front. "All of you First Years, and…_Transfers_…" the voice was dry and cold with disdain.

"That's…" Kagome said, standing on tiptoe to see better. "That's that…that _Malfoy_ boy from the Hall!"

"Pay him no mind," Kurama urged her. "He is only trying to get under your skin."

"I know, I know," Kagome replied hastily, still trying to get a better look at the blonde brat.

"Since you all are new to Slytherin House, I will grant you some leeway when it comes to making mistakes."

"Who does he think he is, anyway?" Kagome muttered underneath her breath.

"That's Draco Malfoy. He's been a Prefect two years running," a short, curvy girl with shoulder-length black, shiny hair said from Kagome's left. "Don't cross him or he'll make life for you a living _hell_!"

"Who are—"

"Shh! Listen now—no one else in this House will give you any help later."

Kagome silenced herself and listened to the blonde hot-air bag talk.

"This is the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room and Dorms. Girls are on the left, boys are on the right. The password to enter is _always_ **pure blood**. Don't forget it." He said as the stone wall swung open on hidden hinges.

The gaggle of black-and-green robed students emptied into the Commons, leaving Kurama, Kagome, and the girl that had sidled up to them out in the cold hall.

"I'm Orla Quirke, by the way. One of the few half-way decent people in Slytherin House."

"Half way?" Kurama asked, arching a brow at her phrasing.

"Yes, half way. _I'm_ a really nice person, but I have another half that comes out at odd times—Evil Orla. She's not to be trusted, and she can access all my thoughts and knowledge, so don't ever tell me anything you don't want used against you."

"…Oh…Thanks for the…advanced warning…" Kagome said.

"Come on, the door's closing," Orla said, ushering them inside the Commons. "Who's the carrot top?" She asked, gesturing at Kurama.

"I thought you said not to tell you anything that you could use against us later?" Kagome replied.

Orla laughed and a dark glint was in her eye. "You catch on fast. Faster than most, I'll give you that. But I swear that I won't use it against you, girly."

Kurama's own eyes got a golden gleam to them. "And that you won't use it against myself or the other people that we are involved with."

Orla's look soured and she pouted for a moment or two. "You, Red, are too smart for your own good,"

_It comes from having an ancient kitsune thief living inside your head since you could remember. _Kurama thought.

"Thank you, Madame," Kurama replied with a slight bow.

Orla immediately brightened. "Oh, but you're gentlemanly! I don't know what to think of you yet, Red. And since your little girly-friend here isn't going to give up your name, I'll call you Red."

"Whatever suits," Kurama replied, with another bow.

Orla applauded and smiled, straight, white teeth showing un-nervingly sharp points. "I'll see you two later," and she walked off.

"What was _that_ all about?" Kagome asked, rounding on Kurama.

"What do you mean, Kagome?"

"That bowing and scraping and "Yes, Madame," and "No, Madame." All of _that_!"

"She is one not to be dealt lightly with, Kagome. You must try to stay on her good side, and even then she may turn on you. It is best to be polite and courteous to one such as she; it would help you later to start…brown-nosing now."

Kagome wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Do I have to call her "Madame" and bow?"

"No, but just be courteous and stay out of her way if you can, but when you are in her presence, keep your mouth shut about any personal information and don't turn your back on her."

"It's excellent advice, you know. You'd do well to follow it. Then again, that wouldn't be helping _me_ any, now would it?"

Kagome turned around quickly, and there was Orla, standing with a smile that was way too benign to be real.

_How did I miss her standing there?_ Kurama pondered.

"Come on, Kagome. Let's go find your dorm."

"Wait, how did you get my name?"

"Red said it," she said simply.

"Oh," Kagome said, as Orla latched onto her wrist and pulled her away from Kurama.

_Later,_ Kurama mouthed to her, and Kagome answered with a nod as she rounded the corner and ascended the staircase with Orla.

They went past three levels and were just passing the second doorway on the fourth floor of the Slytherin Girls' Dorms, when Orla stopped suddenly. "Oh, you're in here with me!"

_Goody for me,_ Kagome replied mentally as she spied her name, 'Higurashi' emblazoned in green lettering on the bottom of the plaque of names. Along with her own last name, there was Orla's (Quirke), and Chastinston, Bullstrode, and Parkinson.

"You must've taken the place of that snotty Emily McFetters. She graduated last year, whoring bitch!"

Kagome turned wide eyes to look again at Orla, who seemed to be having a conversation with herself, but silently, as only her facial features changed. Kagome noted that Orla's eye color, usually a shade of blue, had darkened to a muddy brown with yellow lights in the irises. She wore a dark scowl, which was replaced quickly with a razor-toothed crocodile smile that she turned on Kagome. "Sorry about that; Evil Orla strikes again. She knows that I don't like it when we swear—that's why she does it every chance she gets."

"…Right. I see." Kagome said, trying to be agreeable.

"No, you don't, but that's alright. Come on, you're in here with Pansy, Millicent, and me now. Stay away from them—they're both evil, conniving little wenches—but then again, come to think of it…so am I…Ah, well, if we stay on that thought too long, we'll both end up with headaches. My bed is over there, in the far corner, away from the window. Millicent has the one by the door, and Pansy has the one across from her. Oh, and Mary is in here, too. She's a quiet one—never heard a word from her. She's alright, I guess, but I couldn't tell you anything about her since I never hear anything or talk to her. She's got the bed by Millicent, and looks like, lucky you, you get the bed by the window. It's the only one on this level of the Dorms. Since we're so far down in the Dungeon level here, we don't usually get much sun, and besides, the light only comes through there at sun rise."

"_She sure is talkative,"_ Kagome thought to herself. "_What would Kurama say about her right now…Hmm!"_ Kagome laughed mentally. "_Probably that she talks just to be saying something—she speaks and yet she says nothing. She seems more approachable than she really is, only to get people to talk. She keeps going to seem more open and knowledgeable, but she's really not giving anything away at all! At least, nothing I couldn't figure out on my own! Kurama was right. Orla is __**really**__ smart!_

"And stay away from our animals," Orla continued. "My owl has an eye for shiny objects, so keep your valuables locked up,"

"_I'd say that was a hint that if you don't watch your stuff, it will disappear into her pockets,"_ Kagome noted.

"And Millicent's cat is a real nasty one, too. Gave me a scar last year," Orla held up her arm and showed Kagome a jagged, light pink scar that went from her elbow to the first joint of her pointer finger. "Pansy's got a real brat for a cat—ha! I made a rhyme! Anyway, just don't touch any of Pansy's things, because that cat guards better than any dog I know. Do you have a pet with you?"

"Well, yes, actually. I have an owl that I'm sending to stay with my Mom, and a cat named Kirara."

"Oh, and how did you pay for all of these animals? They do get to costing quite a bit, you know."

"Ah, well, actually, the school gave us all a small allowance and I brought some of my own money, and—" Kagome stopped because she saw a gleam of yellow in Orla's left eye. "_Too much information!"_ Her senses told her. "_I told her too much_—_I told her that I had money on me and that the school favored us by giving us money they don't give to other students—Ooh, I need a subject change."_

"Go on," Orla urged her.

"Uh, actually, I think I'd better get unpacked, and then I'm going downstairs to talk to Ku—ah…Red."

"Oh, don't be silly, Kagome! I know his name isn't _Red_! I heard it when they called him up to be Sorted, I just forgot it. I'll discover it soon enough, though."

"Okay…Well, thanks for the…tour I guess you'd call it, but I'd better get unpacked now. Thank you."

"You're all too welcome!" Orla said, exiting the room and leaving Kagome breathless.

_She's going to be hard to deal with,_ Kagome thought to herself.

She walked over to her bed and let Kirara out of her kennel, and the kitten sprung out, happy to be able to move and stretch freely. Kagome pulled her two trunks out to the side of her bed and began to sort through them. She'd been sort of rushed to pack, and had thrown most of her clothes helter-skelter into both trunks. On the lid of her second trunk she found seven Slytherin badges to attach to her robes. Kagome looked sadly at the green and silver badges with the serpent wound around the shield, emerald eyes glinting mysteriously in the poor light provided by the torches on the wall.

"Kikyo…" Kagome sighed. "Even five hundred years after you truly died, you still return to haunt me…And I can _never_ be rid of you because of what you've done."

Kagome came out of her reverie when Kirara batted playfully at the sleeve of the undershirt she held in her hand. She kneeled down to be eye-level with the tiny kitten. "Are you helping me?" Kagome asked her. Her response was a tiny "mew" and unblinking, large blue eyes staring innocently up at her. "Alright then, if you're going to help, why don't you start by moving the clock back to before I left home to come here, so that when that letter came I could refuse it?"

Kagome was startled as there was a heavy fluttering sound at the window, and her owl came flying in! "Aisling!" Kagome cried, surprised. "I was wondering when you would get here! I hope you had some good hunting. They said that you'd be able to find me even after we left." Kagome placed Aisling on the bedpost nearest her, as she hadn't bought a stand for her at the pet store. She winced as her owl's razor-like talons easily dug deep into the finely-grained wood of the bed.

"I'd better finish putting all of this away, before the rest of my dorm-mates decide to come up, huh?" Aisling hooted softly in reply and Kagome hurriedly finished up, stashing her trunks at the foot of the bed and locking them with the lock she'd gotten that wouldn't allow them to be opened by anyone but her—not even with a lock pick or Alohomora. She put Kirara back into her kennel, despite her protests, and told Aisling to keep an eye on her things, and went back down to the Commons.

It was still relatively crowded in the Commons, as people were catching up on summer news and talking and even conspiring already, but Kagome was searching for a red-crowned man in particular. She found him in a corner near the fireplace, sitting alone at a table with the most unusual set of Chess pieces she'd ever seen. Kurama looked as if he was trying to figure out how to work it.

"Having troubles?" Kagome asked, taking the seat across from him.

"Sort of," He replied, glancing up only briefly. Kagome caught her breath—the flames from the fireplace were reflecting back in his eyes, making the green appear solid gold. He looked away and the moment was gone. "I cannot figure how to move these things. I try and pick them up, but they won't lift."

"Hmm…" Kagome remarked softly, gazing at the pieces. "Remember, this is the _wizard's_ Chess board. Maybe try just directing them."

Kurama squinted his eyes for a moment and nodded. He ordered a pawn out onto the board, and sure enough, the black pawn, in the shape of a hunched-over soldier, moved forward into place. "Play with me?" Kurama asked, looking up at Kagome.

"Well…I'm not much good…"

"I'll help, don't worry."

Kagome gave him a considering look. "That's what you told me that night we were playing Poker with Yusuke and Kuwabara, too…Oh, well. At least we're not betting," Kagome ordered her pawn to meet Kurama's and in an instant the white piece had drawn its swords and slashed through the black one. "Oh, Kami!" Kagome gasped. "I wasn't expecting that!"

"Hmm," Kurama murmured. "Neither did I. They must piece themselves back together at the end of the game, otherwise the expense for these things would be ridiculous."

In what must've been the shortest game of Wizard's Chess in history, Kurama beat Kagome hands down. "Good game, Kagome."

"I told you I wasn't very good!"

"You'll learn quickly. You just have to strategize." At Kagome's silence, he steepled his fingers and looked at her inquiringly. "What troubles you, Kagome?"

She sighed and rubbed her thumb over the queen piece. "That boy—Malfoy. What he said…how he talked to me…I don't think I've ever been so insulted! He had no right to say what he said. And then Yusuke and Kuwabara and the Potter boy got into the mix, and it was just…" She sighed. "…A mess. And I get the feeling that we haven't heard the last from Malfoy."

"I imagine not."

Kagome turned considering blue eyes on him. "You seemed a little upset that Yusuke and Kuwabara got involved. Why?"

"I was frustrated because we are supposed to maintain a low profile. We don't need any trouble from these people. From the information that I've gathered, the House we've been placed in is the most…the House that is generally looked upon as the 'worst' or 'darkest.' The enemy of these wizards came from this House, and every one that has followed him as well."

"Well _that's_ nice to know! Now Ron and the Weasleys will think that we were lying all summer and won't trust us anymore!"

"I don't know about that," Kurama said, trying to console her, but he, too, felt the same doubt. They stood and wandered around the room.

Kagome squeezed her hands tightly until she felt her nails bite into the flesh of her palm. After holding them like that for several moments she released all of the tension of the day in a deep sigh. "Aren't you going to unpack?"

"I did, while you were up in your dorm."

"Oh… Who are you bunking with?"

Kurama arched an eyebrow. "Of all of the ironies, Draco Malfoy, a Goyle, Crabbe, and a Flint."

"No!" Kagome said in surprise. She dropped onto one of the black leather couches dramatically. "Of all of the rotten luck!"

"Indeed." Kurama replied, sitting down on the same couch, but leaving enough room between them for another person, out of polite respect. "Youko also left me a 'surprise'. It seems the kit is too smart for his own good—he figured out how to open his kennel and got out. He tore up the beds and I had to half-tie him into a cage I made from my plants."

"Won't your dorm-mates notice that? And besides, I heard that we were really only supposed to have cats, owls, or toads as pets here. I don't even think that foxes are allowed."

"They let me in, didn't they?" Kurama asked, his eyes shining merrily.

Kagome laughed and shoved him lightly. "Very funny, _Mr_. Minamino. Won't he be able to chew through plants, though?"

"Not mine."

"Oh, of course not," Kagome replied, winking over-exaggeratedly. "So what are you going to do about Youko, anyway?"

"Let him out on the grounds during the day and cage him at night, probably. A young kit like him needs to explore and gain his surroundings."

"_What she_ doesn't _know is that my little fox kit is actually a baby kitsune in his true form. He's lost and looking for something, he can't tell me more."_ Kurama grimaced at the puzzling thought, but decided that the time to think of such things was not on the night before he began a new school. He looked casually around the room, and noted that, other than a few first or second years, the Commons had emptied—that wasn't surprising at all, since it was going on eleven o'clock. Kurama looked over at Kagome, and did a double-take.

Kagome was sitting in her new robes, with her legs drawn up to her chest, the black shiny material draping over her shoulders and she sat on the excess. She had on a pleated gray skirt with black trim and a white button-up shirt with a black vest. Her silky hair hung in graceful waves and piled over her shoulders. She had her head flung back, relaxing against the high back of the couch, exposing her pale neck vulnerably.

_Look at me,_ part of him urged. _Just look at me and it will be perfect!_

Kagome didn't open her eyes though, and simply rolled her head around to rest on her chest, heaving a sigh.

_Damn!_ Kurama sighed, the moment broken.

"What time is it?"

"Five after eleven."

Kagome groaned and flipped onto her back, unknowingly revealing much of her upper thigh to Kurama's careful speculation. "I'm so tired, but I don't want to go up there."

"Orla?" Kurama asked.

"That's part of it. But I saw that Malfoy talking to these two girls and he called them Millicent and Pansy—those are the names of my other two roommates. They looked hideous—Millicent was just ugly and Pansy had on too much make-up. They were laughing and talking, but it was all fake. I could _feel_ their negativity from over here! And with that on top of Orla, I could open the door to my room and have it knock me out!"

"Are you that sensitive to people's aura and energy fields?" Kurama asked, looking at her curiously.

"I haven't been in a long, long time." Kagome replied, her eyes far off. "A _really_ long time," she whispered.

Kurama seemed to sense that there was an un-told story behind her words. "I see. Just focus on a barrier between them and you and they shouldn't be able to get to you."

"That's not it. You see…" Kagome began, but stopped. "I just haven't been used to that much wild energy in awhile. Anyway," she said, sitting up and shaking her head. "I think I'd better go to bed—you should, too. First day, tomorrow!" Kagome shot Kurama a grin and with a graceful push she was off of the couch and walking up the stairs to her dorm, her black robes billowing out behind her.

Kurama did go to bed, but it wasn't until nearly midnight, because he was staying up thinking about the situation with his little kitsune. The kit was about twenty-five years old right now, and it was generally between twenty-five and thirty years that they would begin to take on humanoid features: voice, demon-level intellect, demon (and some human) knowledge and instinct, even features that would pop up then disappear. If he began doing this during his new schooling here at Hogwarts…Kurama got a headache just _thinking_ about the consequences!

"_He is already forming coherent thoughts to me when I speak to him—not much of a vocabulary—about the level of a five-year-old human child. But from there on, once he's started doing that, then it will all come faster…Until one day, I'll wake up and have a kitsune in the form of a little humanoid fox-boy in the cage."_

Kurama put his head in his hands, damning his recessive other half for not warning him before he bought the creature. "_Then again,"_ he told himself, "_it's better that I were the one to get him, because imagine what would happen if a witch or wizard bought him and had him turn into a child one night!"_

Kurama rubbed his temples and sighed. "_Bed,"_ he told himself. He wandered up his own set of stairs and reached his dorm's door, marked with "Malfoy, Flint, Goyle, Crabbe, Minamino." Opening the door, his first instinct told him to be wary of the others in the room. Indeed, as soon as he reached his bed, the energy fields around it showed that it had been booby-trapped by magic.

With a flick of his wrist and a whispered incantation, the lines of invisible magic that were draped all over his bed were illuminated, glowing soft orange. "Simple spells. I have been underestimated," he muttered with dark humor. "Deletrius," he commanded, and a silent jet of red jumped from his wand's tip, briefly lighting the room, and the spell was wiped out.

"Too simple, really." His eyes narrowed fractionally. "I do not like being underestimated…So," Kurama smirked slightly and he allowed the ki to rise in his soul, warming his body pleasantly. Youko Kurama shifted in their soul at this and the fox kit that was his namesake yipped softly, recognizing the energy.

Kurama's eyes were now a glowing gold, and he turned to look down at the noisy kit. A tiny vine broke off from the main branch of the cage and twined its length around the kit's nose. "Shh," Kurama said softly. The vine released the kit and he looked properly ashamed.

Saying no more, Kurama silently began the task of installing vines in the rafters of his canopied bed, weaving them around the bed posts and feeding them enough energy so that they would be content to stay in the spots he placed them in. He fed the plant not _images_, really, but more like the scents and the feelings that he associated with all of his friends, so that if they came near, the plant would not tie them up.

And anyone the plant did _not_ recognize…well…they'd find that out for themselves if they got within two feet of the bed or if they tried to cast a spell on it.

Halfway through, though, one of the other boys stirred.

Kurama paused his growing spree and looked briefly over his shoulder—there were no windows in this room, and the torches were just about burnt out. Expanding his senses, he let his energy take over his exploration and found two very large, apish teens sound asleep, and a very physically fit boy sleeping lightly. But there was one, also fit, who was awake—and he was watching Kurama. How the kitsune knew that the boy could see him clearly in the pitch black, Kurama did not know, but he had come to understand not to second-guess his gut feelings.

_Caution,_ his instincts warned him. Kurama sniffed the air briefly, sifting through the scents, identifying the only familiar one as Malfoy being in the bed two over on the right from his own. And, just as he had suspected, the sound of Malfoy's breathing was off from the rest of the other boys'.

Malfoy was watching his every move.


	8. Not As Planned

**Author's Notes: **To avoid _too_ much confusion about Youko the fox kit and Youko the fox spirit, I will refer to the fox kit as **Youko**, and the fox spirit as **Youko Kurama**.

**Chapter Eight: Not as Planned**

_(Previously)_

How the kitsune knew that the boy could see him clearly in the pitch black, Kurama did not know, but he had come to understand it was better not to second-guess his gut reactions. _Caution,_ his instincts warned him. Kurama sniffed the air briefly, sifting through the scents, identifying the only familiar one as the Malfoy boy being in the bed two over on the right from his own. And, just as he had suspected, the sound of Malfoy's breathing was off from the rest of the other boys'.

Malfoy was watching his every move.

"_Dammit!"_ Kurama swore to himself. "_I'm hoping that he can't sense things as well as I can… I think I've done enough for now…It would be best to stop and resume tomorrow night."_ Decision made, he quietly stripped his robe, shirt, socks, and pants, laying them over the footboard of the bed. Barely rustling his silver sheets and the emerald coverlets, he climbed into the cushiony twin-sized bed and arranged his pillows more comfortably. He did not allow himself sleep until after Malfoy's breathing had returned to normal.

However, sleeping that night was obviously not written into his life story, because Malfoy did not reach REM sleep until two am, if the Commons Room clock's chiming was to be believed. After that, Youko, the fox kit, decided that his cage was not roomy enough and began whining, begging Kurama through mind-speech to enlarge it—just a "_little itty-bitty bit? Pleeeeeeaaaassseeee?" _

Around 2:30 in the morning, Kurama gave in and once more called his ki to the surface and enlarged his kit's shrubbery kennel by one foot. Finally, he was able to sleep, but was once again woken by one of the ape's snores. He woke himself just enough to cast a time-limited noise blocking spell so that he wouldn't over sleep his alarm.

Kurama finally got to sleep and stayed asleep until seven the next morning, when his wristwatch beeped to wake him.

"_Dammit!"_ He swore to himself, waking from his fitful night's sleep and rubbed his head, scratching behind his ears. Groaning softly, he pulled himself out of bed and looked around, counting the auras in the room. Only Malfoy's was absent.

Getting up silently, he opened his trunk and unearthed a pair of black slacks, socks, boxers, brown shoes, a white undershirt, a button-up white cover shirt, and finally a green and silver striped tie and a cloak with his House's insignia on the lapel. Folding his clothes for the day into his cloak, he made his way down into the Commons, and from there into the Slytherin Boys' bathroom.

Malfoy was there—_powdering his face!?_ The Slytherin Prefect jumped visibly and put down the old-fashioned talcum powder.

The Prefect covered his embarrassment with disdain. "Minamino," He said snidely, not taking his vision away from his reflection in the mirror after his quick glance to see who'd come in.

Kurama was surprised that he had pronounced his surname perfectly and his accent was just right. "_Curious…"_ he thought.

"Malfoy," he replied, just as coolly. It was strange, though, that he did not use the Slytherin Prefect bathroom. "_Probably because the other Prefects might be there and at this hour, most Slytherins are not up."_ This seemed like a plausible reason and Kurama let it rest at that.

The kitsune made his way to the roomy bathroom stalls and found to his happy surprise that each upright shower stall had a small toilet cubicle for private use, and an individual mirror. However, the sinks were all located around a central place outside the large shower stalls.

_Only the best for Slytherins,_ he thought to himself with droll sarcasm.

Kurama pulled a frosted glass door shut and entered the box-like stone stall and found the shower head with a drainage pipe near it, and a toilet with green frosted glass walling it in (for privacy; although, in his own private shower cubicle, he wasn't sure why this was needed), with the mirror opposite it.

Stripping down, Kurama grabbed an emerald towel with a silver "S" emblazoned onto the plush fabric. He let the hot water rush over him and for the first time in several long weeks, Kurama was relaxed.

Kagome woke to the sunlight streaming through the small aperture placed right above her head. The sun, as usual, bid her to rise and make the day. Surprisingly enough, she had slept well that night and found that, despicable though her dorm mates might be, they kept quiet and to themselves.

Kagome figured this was probably because they all lacked the patience to argue over who made too much noise and whose belongings were in whose space—well, this early in the year, anyway.

Slipping softly out of bed, she almost walked to her right to see if Yukina was awake, before she stopped herself and thought about where she was. Had she continued in her path, she would've run straight into Pansy Parkinson's bed.

"_I'm so used to having Yukina to talk to in the mornings!"_ Kagome thought to herself. Making her way around the edge of her bed, she un-spelled and opened her trunk to dig out her new uniform.

"Let's see," she mumbled at a low tone under her breath. "Black loafers, knee-length grey skirt with green trim, white button-up shirt, black cloak… These people aren't very imaginative…"

"_Then again,"_ she thought to herself, "_I shouldn't be one to talk, since all __**I**__ ever got to wear in Japan was short skirts and sailor tops…_

"_Do I wear the vest __**and **__tie, too?"_ She wondered to herself. "_The letter didn't say what we're __**required**__ to wear; it just gave us the list of what we had to have…"_ Shrugging, Kagome left the vest off and put on the flashy green silk tie.

Going through her backpack, she brought out a small bag of owl treats, gave one to Aisling, and untied her leg from the post on the corner of her bed, allowing her to go where she liked. "I'm sending you home to Mom soon, so don't get too lazy," Kagome warned.

Next, she let Kirara out of her kennel underneath her bed, with strict instructions to not bother the other animals. After Kagome was satisfied that Kirara would do as she was told, Kagome gathered her things and went down into the vacant Commons Room and exited into the girls' bathroom.

At this early hour of dawn no one else was up yet, and Kagome enjoyed the escape from the smothering auras in her Dormitory. The young miko was enjoying the luxurious separate bath stalls when she heard the door open and she sighed quietly, the soft sound suffocated in the heavy mist from her hot shower. _So much for silent reprieve,_ she thought to herself, carefully picking over the selection of magical shampoos provided.

There were several kinds: Rainstorm, Emerald (_Huh?_ Kagome thought when she saw this one), Pride (An even bigger _HUH_? From Kagome), and Sunshine. Kagome had sniffed at Pride, but found its musk offensive. Emerald had a clear, crisp smell, like morning dew, but with a hint of…iron?

Kagome opened the lids on Rainstorm and Sunshine and liked the smell of them both, so decided to try the Rainstorm today, and Sunshine tomorrow.

"It says here that the contents in this bottle are not to be tampered with via magic of any kind. '_The scented surprise inside each bottle is guaranteed to be of the highest quality on the market and will last up to 48 hours. Due to each person's different chemical make-up, the scent and effects will vary depending on the user. Keep out of contact with eyes and do not consume orally. If irritation occurs, cease use and see a MediWitch. Not tested on Pixies, Mooncalves, Unicorns, Dementors, Bicorns, Hinkypunks, Muggles, or Grims.'_

"Wow," Kagome said softly. "They don't leave much out of the disclaimer, do they?" Not quite sure who she was talking to, Kagome quieted and lathered up the shampoo, which she then rinsed out.

The miko-witch dried off with an emerald colored towel with a bright silver 'S' emblazoned on the hemline. When she was done, she realized that the towel must've been either of a special make or spelled to remove the water from the body and hair, because when she discarded the material, it was still dry. "That's a wonderful little trick!" She said, pleased with all of the conveniences of this magical life.

The mirror was by the green frosted glass door leading back into the main row of sinks and Kagome walked over, clothes slung in the crook of her elbow, to comb out her hair. She almost screamed when she saw that _her hair was gray and had __**lightning **__and __**drops of rain**__ all through her scalp!_

Running back to the shower stall, Kagome grabbed the bottle and read the Warnings. "_Warning_," she mumbled, her finger tracing the word paths. "_Due to each person's different chemical make-up, the scent and effects will vary depending on the user.'_ Oh, great! Leave it to **me** to get the malfunctionatory chemical make-up!"

Kagome grimaced and looked in the mirror, taking in the unnerving way _lightning_ made parts of her hair stand up for a few seconds before laying back down and _rain _gathering like frozen diamonds. Thunder, without sound, was shown by rapid color changes from light gray to white, to slate gray and black.

"Oh _no_!" Kagome gasped, picking up locks of her hair with two fingers, almost afraid that the bolts of lightning would shock her. "_What __**is**__ it with me and bad hair days!?_"

Taking her wand out from her pile of yet-to-be-donned clothing, Kagome decided to try and delete the spell. Closing her eyes and hoping for the best, she held the wand tip to her scalp and murmured, "Deletrius."

**BANG**!

After the smoke cleared somewhat, Kagome nearly cried when someone started banging on the glass door that connected the cubicle to the rest of the bathroom. "Hey! Whoever is in there, it's way too early in the year to be getting our points docked so whatever you just tried **knock it off**!"

"Sorry!" Kagome said, but kept muttering. Looking in the mirror, she saw that now her hair had turned bright orange. Restraining herself from taking a leaf out of InuYasha and Yusuke's book and swearing profusely, she instead decided to try again with a different spell.

"Well, since this _is_ a 'magical mess', maybe I can use…" Holding the tip of her wand again to her head, Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and prayed as she cast her next spell. "Scourgify."

There was no noise this time, but there was a lemon yellow flash of light. When she looked up again, she sighed in relief; her hair was back to normal (with the exception of the extremely strong smell of humidity and rain). "Thank you, Kami!"

Now able to get dressed, Kagome did so hurriedly and exited to the main bathroom and brushed her teeth. When that was done, she checked her watch and made her way quickly out of the lavatory.

After making her way out of the dungeons, Kagome asked a helpful painting for directions to the Great Hall. As she walked, she saw Yukina, flanked by two other girls, making their way down a staircase.

"Yukina!" Kagome called, waving her hands.

The koorime looked up from her conversation and smiled hugely. "Kagome-chan! Ohayo!"

"Ohayo, Yukina!" Kagome replied, not noticing the suddenly vapid and nervous looks that were directed at her as Yukina walked over to the miko.

"Did you sleep well, Kagome?"

"I did, surprisingly! What about you?"

"Uh-huh! Oh, you must meet my new friends, Hannah and Laura!" Yukina ushered the other two girls over from where they'd been whispering secretively to each other on the bottom step of the staircase.

"Hanna-chan, Laura-chan, I want you to meet my good friend, Kagome!"

Laura looked unsure of what to do, so she just stood there quietly, looking shyly at the miko. Hannah on the other hand, said bluntly, "Yukina, she's a Slytherin."

Kagome stared at Hannah without comprehension, complementing Yukina's unabashed look of confusion. "Why is that a problem, Hanna-chan?" the koorime asked.

Instead of directly answering Yukina, Hannah turned to Kagome. "You got sorted into Slytherin for a reason and while I'm a pretty accepting person, I've never met a Slytherin I liked."

Kagome looked a bit surprised before she replied, "Then I might be the exception. And plus, Hannah, if you're so accepting, why do you have a problem with my being friends with Yukina? She didn't tell you, I take it, that we met over the summer at the house we were staying at and made instant friends. She still likes me even after we've been sorted into different houses, so perhaps you could learn to do the same."

Kagome grabbed Yukina's arm and they locked elbows, walking down the hallway. Slipping into Japanese Kagome told Yukina, "These stereotypes are ridiculous, Yukina! I'm trying to be polite, but…! We haven't even been here two days and already people are judging us!"

"Oh, Kagome, it will be alright! They really are nice girls!"

"I'm not worried so much about _them_, but rather the rest of the school that we've yet to meet..."

Kagome joined Kurama at the Slytherin table for breakfast after swinging by the Gryffindor table to say hello to Yusuke, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Ron. However, she just nodded and gave a weak smile to Harry and Hermione, who granted her the same strange, fumbling courtesy.

"Did you sleep well, Kurama?" Kagome asked, sitting down opposite the kitsune.

"Not exactly. I was trying to put some defenses of my own on my bed when I sensed Mr. Malfoy watching, so I had to stop. I waited to sleep until he reached REM sleep, and by that time two of the other boys in my dorm were snoring too loudly for me to get any amount of comfortable rest."

"Were they louder than Kuwabara?" Kagome wanted to know.

Turning a tired eye to look at her, he nodded wearily. "Twice as loud as Kuwabara, with Yusuke's nasal sound."

"Ooh," Kagome murmured. "That's too bad!"

"I finally got some sense and spelled my ears to block out noise, but it took some concentration to put a time-duration on the spell, not to mention it was hard to focus with those… _baboons_ making such a racket."

Kagome had to giggle at that description, but stopped mid-chortle when she heard a flurry of air movement and looked up, startled to see hundreds of owls descending from the rafters. The hunters clattered onto tables and knocked over drinks and ate from their owner's plates while said owners untied the parcels and letters attached to their legs.

Kagome's owl, Aisling, was not among them, because she had just been released to go to the Owl's Tower this morning. However, Kurama's owl, Koi, had returned with replies for each he and Kagome.

Kurama fed the bird a strip of bacon and Kagome stroked her wings in a show of thanks before they ripped open their letters.

Kurama looked up from halfway through his letter when he sensed a change in Kagome's aura. "_Salt?"_ He thought. "_Is she crying?"_

"Kagome?"

Kagome didn't answer, except to utter a half-restrained cry as she leapt up from the table and out the nearest exit. In order to exit, however, she had to bypass Gryffindor table, and in doing so she alerted the rest of the Tantei of the trouble, who all got up and followed her out; Kurama wasn't far behind. Yukina saw them leaving and excused herself from her housemates to follow.

Sprinting ahead, Kurama made it past his teammates and reached Kagome first. She was sitting in the corner of a nearby staircase with her head bent and shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Her hand still held the crumpled letter.

Resting a hand on her shoulder, Kurama knelt down and stared curiously at her. "Kagome?" Now the rest of his friends had arrived.

"What's going on, Higurashi?" Yusuke asked, crossing his arms and staring down at the girl blankly. The rest of them knew that his stance and tone that meant he was worried, despite all appearances.

"Kagome-chan?" Yukina asked softly, kneeling by Kagome on the opposite side of Kurama.

Hiei tried to open his Jagan to see if he could find out what was going on, but the levels of magic were so intense in this place, he might end up doing more damage than good. By allowing the Eye too much power and trying to open her mind, he could handicap her or worse—neither were acceptable.

Kuwabara also seemed as though he wanted to help, but didn't know what to do, so he merely stood by, watching silently.

The quiet strength and support of the group was broken when Harry, Hermione, and Ron ran up the stairs, shouting about wanting to know what was going on.

"SHH!" Yusuke said, glaring at them.

"What?" Ron asked, indignant.

Yusuke retaliated with a glare and by pointing his right index finger, his thumb cocked back, at the trio. Ron shut up and told his friends to do so, too. He knew what that gesture meant.

The leader of the Tantei nodded approval, then approached them.

"What's going on!?" Harry demanded, trying with difficulty to keep his voice down.

"Higurashi's upset about something," Yusuke replied, facing the crying girl instead of the newcomers.

"Oh, yes. She's the girl from the train that was sorted into Slytherin." Hermione commented.

Without any warning, Yusuke turned and slammed his fist into the stone railing of the staircase, leaving a huge crack with small pieces falling and cement dust scattering. "**DAMNIT**!"

There was dead silence, except for Kagome's sniffles, before Yusuke filled the hush with angry words. "What the HELL is wrong with SLYTHERIN, **HUH**? You all seem to think _I'm_ a pretty cool guy, right? What if _I'd_ been put in Slytherin? You all would be acting completely different, wouldn't you?"

"I wouldn't—" Ron began, but stopped himself when he looked at Kagome again, still hunched in on herself, being quietly consoled by Yukina. He gulped when he saw the freezing look he was being given by Kurama. Ron remembered his second thoughts about Kurama (and even Kagome) once they were sorted into his rival House. He decided to keep his mouth shut—besides, it would've been difficult to talk around his foot.

"Well, **dammit**, Higurashi's been with us for the whole summer and she'll be here with us all year, and if you all don't get over this '_Slytherin people are evil, ooh, we don't wanna go near anybody from __**Slytherin**__'_ phobia you've got going on, you'd damn well better be able to cope with me having _you_ on my Shit List. And **that** is one place you _never_ wanna be, are we **clear**?"

The three Gryffindors nodded quickly. Hermione, the first to try and set things right, stepped forward. "Mr. Urameshi, I'm very sorry for—well... I just… Let's just say that our _prior experiences_ with the Slytherin House has been less than '_**good**_'. If you don't mind, I'd really like to make an apology to Mr. Minamino and Ms. Higurashi."

"How'd she remember their last names?" Ron asked Harry, who shrugged. "It took me weeks to get it straight!"

"She's Hermione." He said simply.

Yusuke smiled grimly at Hermione and nodded. "Sure. Kurama will appreciate it, but in her state, I don't think Higurashi's heard a thing and at this point, I don't think she cares much, neither."

"Kagome?" Yukina asked again. "Kagome, here, what's wrong?"

Finally bursting out with it, Kagome exclaimed, "It's my grandpa! He—He's…"

Kagome didn't need to say more, and she simply barreled into Yukina, hugging her for all she was worth. The koorime squeezed back and tried to console her friend in her time of grief. Her eyes met with Kurama's over the priestess's shoulder and they both nodded.

Kurama reached behind his head and pulled out a seed and instantly transformed it into a twiggy, thin plant with frosty green leaves. Yukina's eyes grew fearful, but she was confident that Kurama wouldn't let this _particular_ plant's magical abilities hurt her.

Ripping off a leaf Kurama reduced the plant he'd taken it from back to a seed and replaced it in his hair. "Kagome?" Kurama asked, grabbing hold of her sleeve, trying to pull her away from Yukina so the Icebane wouldn't harm the koorime. "Here, Kagome. Come here."

Uncertainly, the miko sniffed, then decided this might be appropriate and switched her grip off of Yukina and faced Kurama, head down, sniffling. "Kagome, I need you to chew this and swallow it. Do you understand?"

She sniffed again and nodded. He handed her the leaflet and she mindlessly popped it into her mouth and chewed then swallowed. She shivered at the taste but otherwise did not react. Within thirty seconds her face had a very pale, almost blue color, but she had calmed down and her face was no longer puffy.

"Thanks," Kagome mumbled and tried to smile, but sobs just began to creep back into her voice.

Yukina gave her another hug and stroked her back soothingly, focusing a small amount of her healing energy on Kagome, only to stop short as she felt a small zap of energy snap across her mind. "Kurama!" she whispered, beckoning him close enough that she might murmur in his ear what she had discovered.

His verdant eyes went wide and he asked, "Are you sure?"

"See for yourself!"

Kurama put his hand on the crown of Kagome's head and focused, only to withdraw his hand and stare in wonder. "You're correct. It is what you suspected."

'Suspected' caught Yusuke's attention and he walked over and knelt down beside the three. "What's going on?"

"Yukina has discovered something about Kagome," Kurama supplied.

Kagome surfaced from her sudden depression when her name was said and asked, "What about me?"

"I tried to help you heal, Kagome, to help calm you down at least, but I was stopped."

"Stopped?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes, by a blockage."

"Huh?"

"Like Mr. Potter,"

Upon hearing his name, Harry came over, accompanied by Hermione and Ron. "What's this about me?"

"Yukina found a blockage in Kagome, too," Kurama replied.

"A soul-scar," Yukina said, answering Harry, Yusuke, and Kagome's next question. "Except it does not have a physical form; it simply is in the soul and when I tried to help numb her spirit so she would not feel so much, the scar prevented me from getting close. When I healed her the first time in the Wand Shop and her wand exploded, I think I was only able to do so because it was a physical wound." She shook her head. "This is different. This is a wound on a spiritual level; that, I think, is why I am blocked from helping."

"Wait, isn't she awfully pale?" Hermione asked earnestly, leaning over Yukina's shoulder to get a better look.

"Yeah, she looks almost dead!" Ron agreed.

"I _am_ still aware of my surroundings, thanks," Kagome muttered, but her protests were barely audible, as her tongue seemed to be numb from whatever Kurama had given to her.

"It's the affects of Icebane," Kurama said. None of the three outsiders noticed Yukina's flinch at the mention of the name.

"Huh?" Harry asked, his glasses shifting as he arched an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"It's a plant that can reduce heat and swelling. It can also act as a depressant—similar to the effects of your Calming Draught, I believe. On occasion, for some, it can act as a hallucinogenic or intoxicator. If it's taken in excess amounts, it has the ability to freeze the victim from the inside out." Kurama explained.

The three Gryffindors shuddered, but then Hermione's eyes lit up the way they always did when she just had a very interesting question brought to her attention. "But wait! How did you get such a thing on hand? If the Ministry found out a student had their hands on something that powerful-—"

Before Kurama could reply, Ron cut in. "Oh, you see, about that! He can manipulate plants and stuff. Genius, really—any sort of plant, isn't that right?" He looked to Kurama, who was cleverly masking his annoyance at the boy disclosing his personal information. He settled for a slight nod to acknowledge what Ron had said.

Hermione's brows drew together and she looked slightly down, gnawing on her bottom lip. "Oh, no!" Ron moaned. "I _know_ that look!" He looked back to Kurama. "You'd better run while you can, because now she's got your scent and she won't leave you alone until you've answered all of her questions!"

Kurama cocked a brow at him and Ron sighed, "Your funeral, mate,"

Hermione began her onslaught after drawing a deep breath. "But that defies _all_ of the laws of magic, stated in An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe, Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and not even Magical Theory mentions _anything_ about this kind of wandless magic! So how can it be possible to create something—"

"Correction, Ms. Granger," Kurama cut in, finally understanding why Ron had tried to warn him. "I do not 'create' anything. I am already in possession of the seeds or pieces of the plant and manipulate its energy to suit my needs, supplying its energy with my own. Nothing is created. When I am out of energy, so are my channels."

"Oh…" Hermione said, pondering this. "…But—"

Kurama held a finger to her lips and said, shaking his head and laughing a bit, "Hush, Ms. Granger, _please_."

"But, this defies all logic!" She said, aghast.

Kurama replaced his index finger to her lips, silencing her; her cheeks seemed to puff up from the air she had been going to use to rattle off more questions. "Again," he stated calmly, "What does logic, Ms. Granger, have to do with having the ability to practice things thought to be impossible, merely by speaking certain Latin phrases and waving a stick with a part of an enchanted creature in it around? As a matter of fact, what does logic have to do with anything around here?"

"No logic back home with Koenma, either, kitsune," Yusuke threw in Kurama's face, who glared back at him.

Hermione was silenced and her brows drew together again; now recognizing the signs, Kurama moved off, but not before chuckling a bit when he heard her mutter, "It's a bit more complicated than just 'waving a stick'…"

"Kurama?"

He turned when he heard Kagome's voice. In the time it had taken his attention to be diverted, she had collected herself somewhat and was leaning against the stone railing, taking shallow breaths. "Yes?"

She beckoned him closer until he knelt beside her. Yukina nodded slightly and moved away to give them some privacy.

"Do you think you could somehow…" she waved her hand in a tiny gesture, but it broadly pointed at the other Tantei and the three other students. "I really, _really_ don't like being seen like this."

He nodded to her once, a bitter but soft smile on his lips. "Let me see what I can do."

Kurama stood and caught his teammates' eyes and nodded his head back towards the Great Hall with complete subtlety. Hiei merely blurred and went out of sight, leaving Kurama to assume that he was still in the vicinity; he really couldn't tell for sure, because all of the energy around made it difficult to concentrate his sixth sense. Yusuke and Kuwabara, however, made their exit while talking in low voices.

The Golden Trio wasn't so observant and Kurama had to verbally ask them to let Kagome be. Reluctantly, they ventured back into the Great Hall to finish their breakfasts, leaving Yukina and Kurama to sit on either side of Kagome and help her to compose herself before being seen publicly again.

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Kagome-chan," Yukina whispered, gently patting her friend's hand.

"Me too," she whispered back in reply. "Oh, me too."

"Was there any warning?" Kurama asked, delicately.

Kagome shook her head. "Mom said that there wasn't. He just was sweeping the step about four days ago and fell over, dea—dead." She could hardly say the word. "His burial is this morning. _And I can't be there!_ He was _always_ there for me and how do I repay him?" Kagome put her head into her hands dismally.

Yukina frowned and grabbed Kagome's hand and interlaced their fingers in a show of small compassion while Kurama traced his fingers up and down her back in soothing motions. Soon, she reined herself back under control.

Just in time, as well, because no sooner was that done than their newest instructor, Professor Myer, come spinning around the corner, his pine green cape floating behind him. He was striding down the hall with purpose, three slips of paper clutched in his hand, when the soft sounds of Yukina's voice made him stop and look up at the stairwell.

He paused for a moment, then smiled and took the steps two at a time with his long legs to reach the first landing. "Ah! There you three are! I was sent by Professor McGonagall to—Miss, are you alright?" He crouched down to be at eye-level with Kagome.

Kagome sniffed and wiped her eyes before looking up at him bashfully. Up close, he was even better looking than he had appeared last night. He had bright, dark blue eyes and dark, curly-q hair that was held back in a small ponytail at the base of his neck. He already had a bit of a five o'clock shadow, but his teeth were even, straight, and white. He was _gorgeous_.

Blushing at the turn in her thoughts, Kagome spoke to herself, "_I still say he's too tall."_ "Uh… Yes, sir, Professor. I just, uh… I got some bad news, is all."

"Oh," he frowned. "What bad news could it be to make such a pretty thing like you cry like this?"

Kurama arched a brow at his words and resisted the urge to 'correct' his manners.

"My grandfather, sir, he died and I missed his funeral." Kagome said, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

Professor Jerome Myer frowned and placed a large-fingered hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear about your loss, Miss—uh…"

"Higurashi, sir." Kagome replied in a small voice, not meeting his gaze.

"Miss Higurashi, then. As I said, I'm sorry for your loss. But I've been instructed to give you three your schedules, if you care to take a look at them. Classes will begin in about half an hour, and breakfast will be over in about five minutes, if you wanted to…go somewhere else a bit more private to grieve, for awhile." With a final pat on Kagome's shoulder, he stood and nodded to Kurama and Yukina, giving them their respective papers, and left them to their business.

"Come, Kagome; let's get you somewhere more—" Yukina began, but Kagome cut her off by standing and smoothing the pleats in her skirt.

"No," Kagome said, wiping tear streaks away with the back of her hand. "No, I'm fine now. Or at least, I _will_ be fine. Come on, breakfast is almost over and we've got a full day ahead of us."

Kurama and Yukina shared a look and shrugged, following Kagome back to the Great Hall.


	9. Further Complications

**Author's Notes:** I understand that this isn't the typical year-after-OWLs, because according to JKR the sixth year students take only the courses in which they earned a certain grade. The students also had quite a few 'free periods' that were usually taken up with homework.

I'm trying to write as closely as possible to the sixth book's schedule, but I started this _way_ before that book was released. Therefore, I'm not going to re-write the schedules I put together.

I have no excuse for my audacious absence from the writing scene, other than some major life changes. So updates, when and if they come, will be sporadic. I appreciate your patience and support.

As always, read, review, and enjoy!

**Chapter 9: Further Complications  
**

Kurama decided not to return to the Great Hall with Yukina and Kagome. Instead, he vouched for finding a small niche in the cool stone wall where he could think.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, pressed the sole of his right foot against the wall and balanced on one foot. "_Interesting developments…"_ he mused to himself. "_The first day of classes and already there is drama. If I were a suspicious person, I would have cause to be concerned…"_

"Now, everyone," Professor Lupin said, leaning casually on the corner of his large desk. "Welcome to yet another year of Defense Against the Dark Arts. I hope you will all have patience with me as I assign your seats."

At the announcement of assigned seating, a groan rose from the Gryffindor and Slytherin students.

"Settle down, settle down," Lupin said, gesturing with his hands. He pulled a folded piece of parchment from a pocket inside his robe and began reading. "Row one, left to right: Potter, Minamino, Weasley, Higurashi, Jaganshi. Row two: Parkinson, Malfoy, Kuwabara, Urameshi, and Ms. Bones. Row three…"

The first day of Defense dragged on slowly, most of the period being taken up by arguments among students who were placed away from their friends-or more specifically, beside people they were _not _friends with.

The biggest problem seemed to present itself when Draco and Pansy were placed directly behind Ron and Kagome, and that Kuwabara was stuck between Malfoy _and_ Urameshi, the latter of which seemed hell-bent on Draco's destruction.

They were dismissed with the promise that an actual lesson would be taught next time, much to the chagrin of the students.

Kagome and Yusuke headed off to a flying lesson, as they would do for only the first week of school. Kurama and Yukina made their way to the Astronomy tower.

"So," Yusuke said, slinging his arm over Kagome's shoulders. "You excited about your first day of flying?"

"I'm just glad this is before lunch," she replied, clutching her stomach. "I'm nervous, but kinda excited too."

"Oh, flying is nothing. I do it all the time with Botan on her oar. Scared the living fuck outta me the first time she took off with me on back. Even took me through a couple loops just to freak me out."

"Sugoi," Kagome said, as they arrived at the wide open field.

"Oi," They exhaled sharply. They were surrounded by eleven-year-olds.

"Come on, come on," Madame Hooch ushered the pair to a set of broomsticks at the end of the row. "Don't be scared, they're just First Years, their bite doesn't hurt and they don't know many damaging spells. Come on, take your place." Madame Hooch spun and blew her whistle for attention. "Alright everyone. If you're right handed stand on the left side of your broom, and vice versa. Hold your hand over your broom and say in a strong voice, "UP!"

The air was filled with shouts and whines and whispers as everyone ordered and begged their broom to jump off the ground. Yusuke's broom shook and rattled around, but refused to obey. When Kagome's shot into her hand on the second try, his face flushed and his eyes turned fractionally red.

Kagome glanced over, "Did you just growl?"

Yusuke glanced darkly over at her and barked, "UP!" The broom jumped immediately into his palm. Anger instantly gone, he looked down in wonder, while Kagome giggled.

"Alright everyone, swing your leg over and mount up. Push gently off the ground and hover for a few seconds, then lean forward slightly and land. Do not under _any_ circumstances go off on your own."

The students obediently mounted their brooms and gently kicked off the ground and hovered listlessly a few feet above the ground. Kagome marveled, but Yusuke yawned obnoxiously. "Boriiiiiiing," he drawled.

Madame Hooch sent him a scalding glance but ignored his comment. The rest of the short class was spent repeating this exercise; the only marginally exciting part was when two boys got into a kicking contest while hovering and flipped themselves off their brooms.

"Tomorrow we will work on basic flying maneuvers. Be prepared. Class dismissed."

"Kagome! Kagome!" Yukina's voice came pirouetting over the din of the excited first years.

"What? Yukina, I can't see you!"

"I'm here!"

Kagome spotted the ice maiden, who was hopping up and down and waving her arms. With slightly morose humor, she noted that Yukina was barely taller than any one of the First Years. "What, Yukina?"

"Kagome, you'll never ever guess!" Yukina's cheeks were brightly flushed. "Madame Pomfrey—"

"Who?"

"The Head of the Infirmary! She said she heard I know some healing and she's asked me to be her apprentice! I'll work with her on weekends and after classes!"

"Yukina, that's wonderful!" Kagome gave her a quick hug. "But I've got to get to Potions, before I'm late!"

"Oh, ok. Bye, Kagome!" Yukina smiled at her, but her eyes were calculating to see how her friend was feeling after her upset this morning.

"Bye!" Kagome turned and ran down the corridors, satchel in hand. As she ran, she felt another round of tears coming on, but she choked them down. She was going to need to keep her head if she were going to be around another gaggle of plotting Slytherins.

Her worst fears were confirmed that this would indeed, be a horrifying class. Chatter abounded between the students, but Kagome noted the green did not mix with the gold. As a matter of fact, not a single Slytherin was communicating with a Gryffindor in any way other than to make fun of them. To her dissatisfaction, the Gryffindors were hardly any better. They were not quite as subtle nor as harsh, but their remarks were still offensive.

Looking around the room, she recognized Hiei, who was standing at the table to her right, beside a nervous, turtle-ish boy who seemed to develop a twitch every time someone from Slytherin made a move around him.

However, when the door to the classroom swung open quietly, all students shut their mouths immediately. Kagome, not for the first time, found her gaze wandering to Professor Snape's nose. She stopped staring when his dark gaze met hers. He arched a brow sardonically and his nose wrinkled, as if he'd caught the scent of week-old garbage.

"As you should all be fully aware of by now, I do not allow foolishness or excessive wand-waving. There will be talk only when you ask a question of myself, and for your sakes, it had best be a query worthy of my time. Sixth year potions are much more difficult than any other potion you have brewed before, and so I expect the utmost attention from each of you." His dark gaze flickered briefly to the Japanese students. Snape's brow seemed to twitch before he looked away and waved his wand at the board. "Instructions are up front, ingredients in the back. Begin."

Kagome read the instructions carefully. His script was elegant and clear, but she made herself read the directions several times just in case she'd missed something. Her summer lessons were testimony to what would happen should she foul-up her brew. "One ounce Essence of Belladonna, two ounces of Flobberworm mucus, sliced daisy roots, Essence of Murtlap, one teaspoon Pomegranate juice, three rat spleens," she made her way to the back to retrieve the ingredients for the Draught for Re-hydration.

Kurama was already in the back and he smiled softly at her, not making any noises that may result in a detention.

When back at their respective cauldrons, Kagome and Kurama began the first step: heating their cauldrons for two minutes and four seconds before adding the Essence of Belladonna.

"Stir counter-clockwise fifty-one times, then reverse and stir six times with a pewter rod," Kagome murmured. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted that she and Kurama were in almost perfect synchronicity. "Let rest two minutes,"

She and Kurama both lay their rods down at the same time and gave each other hopeful glances. Looking around the room, she saw Hiei following the instructions to a T, but that he was also giving the boy beside him cursory glances to see if he should be ducking under the table any time soon.

Kagome smirked and caught another Gryffindor—_ "Hermione is her name, I think,"_—staring at her. Caught, Hermione blushed and looked away and she busied herself correcting the amount of Belladonna her red-headed partner was attempting to put into his cauldron.

Kurama put a hand on his partner's arm. "Time," he whispered.

Kagome nodded and carefully poured the Flobberworm mucus into the potion. After that, they had exactly twenty seconds before the sliced daisy roots could be submerged in the water, at which time the potion was supposed to turn a transparent, shimmering blue.

Both Kagome and Kurama's potions turned the right shade, but they had to hit the floor when Hiei's partner's cauldron began to boil over with pale green foam.

"Evanesco," Snape said, flicking his wand at the cauldron. He smirked slightly. "An incomplete on the first day, Longbottom. Off to a good start this term, I see,"

The boy identified as Longbottom quivered and hung his head in fear.

Kagome caught Hiei's quiet huff of annoyance. She looked down and saw some of the goo had dropped onto his boot. _"Finicky little thing, aren't you?"_ she thought to herself.

Kagome added the pomegranate juice and essence of Murtlap in quick succession. After this came more stirring and she sighed in relief when the potion turned the according shade of purple with grey steam rising from the surface. To finish, she added the three rat spleens (appropriately diced), one at a time, every four seconds. The potion's steam dissipated and turned nearly as translucent as water, with a hint of lavender.

Looking around, she found that only herself, Kurama, the Hermione girl, and the blonde brat Malfoy had managed to make it to this step thus far and not botch it up.

"Time," Snape called, his voice droll and dripping in sarcasm. His lip curled at the abysmal attempts of most of the students in the room. He passed Kurama, Kagome, and Hermione silently, but awarded Slytherin twenty points for Malfoy's work.

Kagome glanced over to see Hermione steaming silently and knew how she felt.

Kurama gathered Kagome's satchel and handed it to her as they exited the room. Hiei joined up quickly, still silent.

The trio passed Hermione, her partner Ron, and Harry Potter, whom had joined their bushy-headed friend on their way to lunch. Hermione broke away from her two friends and nervously approached the transfer students.

"Erm…" she began, trying to catch someone's eye.

Kurama and Kagome stopped, looking at her with interest, while Hiei continued on a few steps before pausing as well.

"Yes?" Kurama asked politely.

"I was, uh, just wondering…" Hermione trailed off, biting her lip and looking nervous. "I was just wondering how you are, Kagome?"

Kagome was slightly shocked at the forward question, but put on the bravest smile she could muster and replied, "I'm alright, thank you," _"But the day isn't over yet,"_ she reminded herself.

"Well…I was just going to say that…I'm very sorry for the way I've acted towards you. Both of you, actually," she rephrased, glancing at Kurama as well. "If the Weasleys say you're good people, then you're good people and well, I'm sorry." She blushed faintly and bit her lip, then glanced from her left to right and whirled around, planting her hands on her hips. "Oh come _on_ you two!"

Ron and Harry split a glance and rushed over, Ron muttering something about being stupid, while Harry scratched behind his ears and mumbled, looking properly abashed.

Hermione had a strangely smug look about her as she bid them farewell and continued on their way to lunch.

"Well that was nice of her," Kagome said, highly amused at the mother-hen affect she'd had on her two male friends.

"Indeed," replied Kurama, who came to a complete halt in the hallway, his gaze locked curiously on Hiei, who seemed to have become suddenly drenched in hot pink paint.

"Hiei?" Kagome asked, slightly worried, as the hybrid was not moving an inch, despite the ostentatious paint dripping from his frame. "Are you…alright?"

A loud noise above their heads made Kurama and Kagome look up, then wish they hadn't. High above their heads was Peeves, juggling large balloons with neither care nor caution. He was singing a bawdy song about a bar maid in an off-key tone. On one particularly harsh note, he lobbed two balloons in quick succession at Kagome and Kurama.

Kagome shrieked and hit the ground, but the balloon nailed her anyway. Kurama threw up his arms in a defensive block, which resulted in a strange horizontal-bar pattern across his chest, while the rest of his top half was dripping neon green paint.

Suddenly, there was a surge of energy and the two Slytherins gaped openly as Hiei moved. In the blink of an eye, he was above Peeves, a previously concealed dagger held in one hand. The blade glowed with a menacing purple hue. Peeves howled and dropped the other balloons directly over Kagome.

Hiei was moving with intentional sluggishness, Kurama knew, because if he'd wanted to force the ghost back to the Spirit World, he would've done it by now. The hybrid was merely getting close enough to Peeves to show him who was boss.

"LEAVE PEEVESIE ALONE! PEEVESIE'S NEVER DID NO HARM!"

Kagome wiped her red-and-white -coated bangs aside to see Hiei holding Peeves in place by an unseen power. Hiei held the ghost upside-down and nose-to-nose to himself. He was muttering something that was surely sinister. At least, that's what the two observers had to assume, as Peeves was shivering and nodding with fervor.

"Go." With one word, Hiei dismissed the ghost, who disappeared as quickly as he could.

Kurama was cleaning paint out of one ear when he asked, "Was it really necessary to waste so much energy on him?"

Hiei's smirk had a distinct undertone of smugness when he replied, "He won't bother us again."

Kagome's stomach rumbled then, loud enough to echo through the empty corridor. She blushed and looked down. "Um…why don't we go to lunch now?"

Kurama chuckled and drew out his wand. He murmured, "Scourgify," as he pointed his wand first at Kagome and then himself. He turned to Hiei, but found that the hybrid was already clean and putting his wand away in the sleeve of his left arm.

They made it to lunch about half-way through the meal. Hiei refused to answer questions about the reason for their delay, but Kurama and Kagome told their inquisitive friends, "Peeves."

Looks of understanding and concern flitted among the Gryffindors. Ron piped up, "We told you you'd know him when you saw him!"

At the Slytherin table, Kagome sat down quietly across from Kurama and put only two things on her plate. Using her fork, she moved the vegetables and potato around without gusto.

Kurama had raised a bite to his mouth when Kagome sighed. He set his fork down and gave her a level look. "Kagome, are you alright?"

Scraping the tines of the fork across the plate idly, she muttered, "What do you think?"

In a fluid movement, Kurama was out of his seat and at her side, sitting close enough that she could feel the heat of his body emanating through his clothing. She set down her fork and folded her hands into her lap and sat with her shoulders hunched. She sighed.

"That's the second sigh since you've sat down," he remarked casually, placing a few more food items on her plate and filling her goblet with juice.

"It's sighing or crying, take your pick." There was a distinct pang of harshness as she resumed play with the fork.

Kurama lifted his hand and rested it atop hers to still her movement. For a moment, her hand tensed at his touch. Then, she relaxed and let him keep his hand where it was. She didn't dare look at him. The hold she had on her emotions was extremely precarious.

"It's not like you to be so cold…Kagome," he said her name softly, keeping his tone even. "I haven't seen you like this before. I don't think I like it."

There was a pause and the din of the hall faded away for Kagome. "…And you think that I do?"

Kurama gripped Kagome's chin and turned her face up to his. His verdant eyes simmered quietly as he locked with her eyes, which were dull and hazy with grief. Her pupils were dilated and her lower lashes were already wet. She was on the edge.

"Just keep it together for a little while longer, Kagome. There are only three more classes for today. I know you don't want to hold this in, but I know you can do it if you must."

Her eyes shimmered, dangerously close to spilling over. She gathered her breath. "I know,"

Kurama's hand tightened on her chin as her gaze searched his. The rush of blood coursing through their ears dulled the racket of their surroundings, which suddenly seemed superficial and garish.

The moment of silence was broken by a rude clearing-of-the-throat over Kurama's shoulder. That was followed by a distinctly loud and sarcastic "_Awwwww_, what do we have here? A new _cutesy-wootsey_ couple?"

Kagome's eyes lost their glossy sheen in an instant, as both turned to see who was addressing them as such. If possible, Kagome paled even further. Kurama placed a steadying hand on her forearm, even while he glared blood and tyranny at the blonde boy.

Malfoy dropped the teasing and replaced it with a voyeuristic approach. "C'mon, Minamino. Kiss her already. You've been staring at her like a sick puppy for the last two minutes, though I can't for the life of me see why. I wouldn't want to kiss her even if I had to stare at her for a second."

A violent spasm of hurt, fear, and a viscous rage shook Kagome's body simultaneously. She didn't know how to react. She felt herself detach from the situation as shock finally set in. She felt her purifying energies swell and magnify to catch her as she toppled into the abyss. Kagome hardly noticed that in the same second that she lost grip on reality, Kurama was on his feet. She marveled in a distant manner at the way his hair was suddenly standing on end and a superb heat was rolling off of his body. She simply shut her eyes and buried her face in her arms, shutting out the world as her mind shut down.

Had she been looking at Kurama from Malfoy's viewpoint, she would have also seen the pupils of his eyes alternate from demonic red, to icy yellow, and back to emerald. His body was in a defensive stance, one hand ready at the base of his neck, where his fingers clutched a delicate rose seed.

Malfoy took a quick step back. His eyes widened as Kurama's figure moved faster than he could follow. Suddenly, the kitsune was standing directly before Malfoy. Kurama did not touch the boy, but the blonde boy found that he couldn't move away.

Youko was forcing his way to the surface in a battle that he was quickly winning. Kurama had to stomp down the usurping emotion to transform here and now. Malfoy was held captive by words unspoken. The air in his lungs seemed to freeze. His pulse pounded wickedly in his veins. Kurama could smell his fear. The boy did not know what his captor was, but he sensed instinctually that to move now would bring mortal pain and possibly death.

No words were exchanged and there were no movements, yet suddenly the two had the attention of every person in the room.

In his mind, Kurama's hand was around the boy's throat, his nails elongating as his delicate fingers crushed the enemy's windpipehe could feel Malfoy's weak hands trying to deter his grip, but he could not. He would die a horrible

"_I thought we were supposed to be laying low,"_ Hiei's voice cut through Kurama's concentration like a knife. From his peripheral vision, Kurama could see the hybrid a short distance away, ready, but not yet willing to intervene. _"Don't make me come over there, kitsune. I would like to see his blood shed as much as you, but this is not the time or the place."_

"_I will rip his heart out." _

Hiei had to pause. It was not Kurama that was replying to him, but Youko. His eyes narrowed. This was not good. The situation must be taken into hand…But how?

As Hiei was debating on whether the general public needed to know that he was carrying weapons or not, Kurama made a move of his own.

Hiei tensed as Kurama took one infinitesimal step towards Malfoy, now standing toe-to-toe with the boy, who was still frozen like a deer in headlights.

Kurama locked gazes for one more split second and then he turned away and scooped Kagome into his arms. Malfoy remained where he was, staring into distant space. Ignoring the stares, Kurama strode past the tables and out a side door.

Yukina was on her feet and tried to follow Kurama, but one glare over his shoulder sent her back to her place and her alarmed tablemates. Yusuke and Kuwabara were also out of their seats, but Hiei stopped them with the one-word command of, "Stay." Upon hearing the tone of his voice and guessing his mood, both returned to their seats and the whispered queries and wanton amount of gossip already circulating.

Hiei grimaced. The encounter between Kurama and Malfoy had not lasted five seconds, and yet he was already hearing questions such as, "What's wrong with Malfoy?" "Why is he staring into space like that?" "How did that new guy get Malfoy to do that?" "Why was that girl passed out?"

Hiei bit back a growl and forced himself to remain where he was.

Lunch didn't last much longer than the confrontation between the two Slytherins. The Gryffindors and Slytherins, each very much aware of the other, made their way to the latest installment in their curricular schedule: Sans Wands.

Kurama darted across the hall and up the stairs, Kagome securely in his arms. His anger was now back under control, but the remaining adrenaline that coasted through his blood demanded some form of release. He used the excess amount of energy to dash much more quickly than necessary up the stairs and down several corridors. He was heading for the Infirmary. Kurama had debated for only a few moments on where he should take her, to his rooms or the Infirmary, and had decided on the latter. In the Infirmary, she would be insured solidarity and silence. He regretted that it lacked the private, intimate setting that she might have gotten from the seclusion of his dorm. A moment later he regretted the thought, because rumors would already be circulating about their assumed relationship. It wouldn't help matters if he was seen taking her to his roomthe very room he shared with Malfoy, no less!

His blood began to boil at the mention of the name and he barely restrained himself from gnashing his teeth. He quelled the urge to leave Kagome in the Hospital Wing and return downstairs to teach the whelp a lesson in respect. Slowing his steps as he slowed his blood, he shifted Kagome in his arms to open the doors to the Infirmary.

Madame Pomfrey came hurrying out of her office after she caught sight of the girl that was apparently unconscious in Kurama's arms. The only sign Kagome gave of being moved from her protector's arms to a bed was to grip Kurama's sleeves a little more tightly.

"Are you missing a class, my dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked kindly, eyeing the way Kurama was reluctantly distancing himself from Kagome.

"Yes, Madame. Sans Wands."

Madame Pomfrey twitched her lips in thought. "I take it you don't feel the urge to be leaving her anytime soon?" Kurama gave her a look of mixed relief and apology. Pomfrey began to speak again, when Kagome stirred. "There, there, dear," she murmured to Kagome, whose brow was wrinkled. In a softer voice, she asked Kurama, "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, Madame. Her grandfather passed away a few days ago, and she only received word today. She was quite distraught."

Madame Pomfrey made a 'tut-tut' noise and muttered, "And already it begins…the first day of class, no less! Well, no doubt the poor lass is plenty homesick as well. It's no wonder this didn't happen sooner."

"_If you only knew the half of it,"_ Kurama thought. He felt Youko roll over and stir restlessly just outside the corner of his consciousness. After the surge of emotion only minutes before, the kitsune spirit was extremely restless.

"Well, she seems to be fair out of it at the moment, but a bit of Draught of Dreamless Sleep won't hurt her a bit. You'll stay with her, then?"

Kurama regarded her gravely and nodded.

Madame Pomfrey strode away, mumbling something about, 'Children starting off so young these days…'

During her short absence, Kurama drew the curtains around Kagome's cot and took the chair beside her bed. He seated himself and reached for her hand. He stopped himself just as he began to interlock her limp fingers with his. He kept his body entirely still for many moments as he simply looked down at their joined hands.

"_What is this…? What is she? I know so very little about her and look at this…this is entirely irrational._" Kurama mentally reviewed the happenings of the lunch hour and found himself more shocked than angry. _Just last night I was telling her not to let Malfoy get to her. I was telling her to ignore him…Now look at me; a hypocrite. Hiei will never let me forget this…"_

Kagome stirred quietly and his hand moved to smooth out her drawn brow. The worry lines of a middle-aged woman had already formed between her expressive young eyes. He traced them with an index finger, attempting to smooth the regret and sorrow written there away.

He stopped his ministrations as he caught himself yet again. He wasn't sure what it was he was feeling, but he was sure that it was different than he'd felt before. _So beautiful and innocent…_ He paused as she muttered something incoherently in her slumber. _…or is she? I know next to nothing of her past, I know none of the reasons why she ran from the only home she'd ever known…What could be so horrible that she would leave behind her friends and family?_ He paused and thought of his own past and how he had hidden it from his mother for so long. _Maybe we are not so different, little miko,_ he pondered to himself, allowing his fingers to continue tracing patterns across her skin.

Kagome shifted and tossed her head, a low whine building in the back of her throat. Her hands, one being held by Kurama, clenched and scratched at things unseen. As she exhaled, Kurama swore he heard her mutter something. He leaned in closer to catch the words on her breath as she slept.

"Bow…get the bow. Get the bow!" Her voice grew louder and more pronounced every time she spoke the phrase. Her breathing picked up and the sharp tang of fear skittered over Kurama's senses. He held her hand more securely and attempted to calm her, if not wake her.

Still she tossed and turned, becoming more agitated by the minute. "No. Stay. Be safe. Stay safe. Traitor…blood traitor…you traitor! Traitor!" Kagome was almost yelling and Kurama heard Madame Pomfrey's footsteps as she returned with the Draught.

"Shh, shh, Kagome," Kurama urged her, holding on to her hand tighter.

"She's a traitor, traitor," Kagome began to sob hysterically in her slumber, encased in a nameless nightmare. "Curse me... can't be fixed, healed..."

Kurama tensed as she tensed and tried to make sense of her words. Madame Pomfrey had nearly reached the shielded cot when Kagome began to shiver uncontrollably. Just as Madame Pomfrey was pulling back the drapery, Kagome cried out, "InuYasha!"

Kurama was on his feet and gently pushing her back down as shivers overwhelmed her body. "InuYasha," she murmured tenderly. "Oh, sorry, so sorry. …If she can't, I can't either…so sorry, InuYasha, sorry…"

Madame Pomfrey recovered her wits and demanded that Kurama assist her in administering the potion before Kagome went into another fit. Kurama leaned Kagome's body against his and tilted back her head and opened her mouth, then rubbed her throat gently to encourage swallowing as the potion was administered.

"There, that should keep her out for awhile," Pomfrey said, satisfied. "That must be some nasty dream she's having, poor girl."

"_Something tells me it isn't just a dream,"_ Kurama thought in reply.

"You may remain with her, so long as you don't disturb her," the medi-witch informed him with no-nonsense in her tone. Kurama nodded sagely and Madame Pomfrey returned to her office.

Tucking the covers back around her, Kurama sat at Kagome's side once again. He didn't hold her hand this time, but merely sat watching her as the potion took hold. The lines of worry and woe slowly relaxed out of existence.

Kurama put his chin on his palm and attempted to think through everything that she'd said. _A bow…something about finding a bow. There was something about her safety and then someone, some female, being a traitor. Something was broken and a curse of some sort…And she kept apologizing to someone named 'InuYasha'."_ Kurama sat back and mentally scratched his head. _None of that makes any sense at all._

A stray beam of light shone through the veiled windows and struck Kagome across the face with glorious sunshine. Kurama half-smiled at how peaceful she now looked, compared to ten minutes ago.

"_And more problems…perhaps it would do me a good turn to become superstitious…"_


	10. Learning Curves

**Chapter 10: Learning Curves**

Kurama was startled awake from a light doze by footsteps stomping his way, quickly.

The curtain around Kagome's bed was unceremoniously yanked open by Yusuke, who was puffing and red in the face.

"Yes, Yusuke?" Kurama asked mildly. "What can I do for you?"

"So you thought I'd let you get away with skipping classes without me, huh!"

"I had no intention of—" Kurama was interrupted as Hiei materialized behind Yusuke and kicked him in the back of the knees, dropping the loud teen. The shorter man quickly stepped on top of the growling youth and rubbed his nose into the cold, stone floor with relish.

"Hiei, what the hell? Get off of me, you runt!"

"I think not, detective. You are being incredibly rude."

"Since when do you give a fuck about being rude? Pot calling a kettle black and all that stuff."

Hiei rolled his eyes and stepped off of Yusuke. "Why did you miss class."

"I was getting to that point, you know!" Yusuke snapped. "Anyway, what gives? Since when do you miss class for any reason, fox boy?"

Kurama sighed as Madame Pomfrey bustled over to see what the ruckus was about. After ensuring they would behave and quiet down, she conjured seating for the two newcomers, though only Yusuke sat down. Hiei stood at the foot of Kagome's cot, eyeballing the sleeping girl with the mix of boredom and slight disdain with which he regarded everything not directly relating to him.

"How did you find out I had missed a class?" Kurama asked the two.

"We ran into Yukina as she was leaving Astronomy and she said you weren't there. She said she hadn't seen you since you ran off with Kagome at lunch." Yusuke eyed his red-headed friend closely, looking for answers.

"Which, by the way, has caused rumors to run rampant already," Hiei added waspishly. "What happened to laying low?"

Kurama could tell they wouldn't let up until they had answers that satisfied them. The trouble was that he wasn't entirely sure what the answers were, yet. "I became very upset with Mr. Malfoy at lunch-"

Yusuke snorted. "Chya, we noticed."

"So did everyone else in the Hall," Hiei added, not giving Kurama an inch of leeway.

Kurama returned Hiei's natty comments by giving him a slant-eyed look that promised he would pay him back at some point. "I'm well aware of what transpired before I brought Kagome here."

"Oh, really? Then why don't you enlighten us because everyone else seems to think you're romantically involved with Kagome and that you just started an open war in your own House by going against that blonde brat."

"Yusuke, your diplomacy is lacking yet again."

"I just want to know what the hell is going on with you and her. If there's anything between you, I mean, I suppose that's alright, since Kagome's pretty cool and all that, even if she is a miko, but—"

"Let me stop you there, Yusuke." Kurama sat up a little straighter. "The only 'thing' between Kagome and I is completely platonic."

"Then why did you skip class just to sit up here with an unconscious girl you are 'platonically' involved with?"

Kurama mentally smacked his forehead. The detective was unyielding. He supposed he would give Yusuke the best answers he could come up with…and if nothing else, he would lie. "I was preparing to leave when Kagome began to have a nightmare. She thrashed around and was shouting something about a curse, a traitor, and she brought up that InuYasha fellow again. Madame Pomfrey dosed her with Draught of Dreamless Sleep, but I thought I would remain to attempt to get some answers from her when she woke."

"And what makes you think this girl's nightmare is interesting enough to skip class for?" Hiei's interest was piqued now, as well. Kurama had always had a good nose for sniffing out mysteries, which meant some excitement for them both.

"Since we're asking questions here, Hiei," Kurama began conversationally, "why don't you tell me how you knew what Kagome saw during her boggart test?"

Hiei glowered. If he wanted to be included in this new mystery, he would have to divulge some information of his own. Damn fox was too smart for his own good. Grudgingly, he admitted, "I overheard her telling Yukina a little about the experience that night. After she fell asleep, she had nightmares until morning."

"You watched her all night?" Yusuke was incredulous. "Maybe you're the one with the romantic-"

Hiei snapped, "No, you blockhead! I simply overheard her as she spoke in her sleep! It wasn't that difficult to hear—she wasn't quiet about it."

"Hmm," Kurama reclined thoughtfully back into his seat. "And that's when you heard her mention this InuYasha?" He tried to get Hiei back on track before he walloped Yusuke again.

Hiei grew quiet again, uncomfortable with being so involved in the conversation. "Yes. She also spoke of a curse and a traitor in that dream as well."

"I wish we knew more about this chick," Yusuke plopped his chin into his hand and stared hard at the sleeping girl. "I mean, we know she's a powerful miko. If there's a curse on _her_, shouldn't she be able to, I don't know…lift it or heal it or something?"

Kurama sat forward suddenly, the gears in his mind whirling. "What if that's it? The soul scar Yukina found in her, what if it's this curse she keeps dreaming about?"

"If that were true, she wouldn't be able to lift the curse until the one who put it upon her either died or forgave her." Kurama's mind was awhirl with the possibilities.

"Or the priestess could be killed." Kurama and Yusuke stared hard at the hybrid, who shrugged as if to say, _'It's a valid possibility.'_

Kurama thought it best to move on. "Perhaps that is what led her to Britain in the first place," he surmised. "She mentioned to me that she left Japan to start over, but I suspected from the beginning she was running from something."

"Whatever put the curse on her would have to be pretty damn powerful, considering the level she's on. And if it's something _she's_ running from, that should be a pretty big clue to us that it's bad ass."

"Unless she's a coward," Hiei suggested, his opinion of the human girl plummeting at the thought.

"She's not a coward," Kurama argued. "She wouldn't run from a fight. I don't see that in her."

"How do you know?" Yusuke pressed.

Kurama turned calculating eyes on his teammate. "How do strangers know by looking in your eyes that you are dangerous?"

"Maybe it's because I'm built like a brick shit house and-"

"Walk with the swagger of a rooster?" Hiei interjected.

Kurama cut in. "Please, be serious, both of you." Once he felt he had their attention again, he continued. "If you've paid Kagome even the slightest amount of attention, you would have seen exactly what I'm talking about."

"Yes," Hiei agreed abruptly. "I've seen it."

Yusuke appeared confused. "I don't know what you guys are talking about…Kagome is really quiet and her physical strength is, well, she's pretty weak. I mean, she can shoot that bow of hers and the psychic power in those is damn scary, but otherwise she seems real shy—keeps to herself, always got her nose stuck in a book, you know."

Kurama and Hiei turned identical looks on the detective.

"What!" Yusuke exclaimed, "What's with that face?"

"You just made the fox's point," Hiei said, as if it should be obvious to Yusuke.

When Yusuke still didn't appear to understand, Kurama stepped in. "Yusuke, how did the people I went to school with in Japan view me?"

"Well that's obvious, you were a total nerd, always showing off and getting perfect scores and—Oh. So…you're saying that this bookish, shy thing Kagome has going on is a cover up for some secret life?"

Exasperated, Kurama nodded as he tried to keep his patience. "It would appear that way. I believe we need to find out what, exactly, Kagome is trying to run away from…_Before_ it catches up with her."

Hiei and Yusuke left Kurama alone soon after, agreeing that it was best for the fox to remain behind and question Kagome. No one felt comfortable with the thought that Kagome's secret past may be putting them all in danger.

In the quiet after his teammates' departure, Kurama remained silent and thoughtful, though his train of thought wandered past what he'd discussed with his friends and back to the questions he needed to ask of himself; such as, why did he feel the need to protect the priestess? Why did he act on those feelings when he knew Kagome could look after herself? Most importantly, he needed to figure out why he felt an attraction to the girl.

His first reaction was, "Of course I'm attracted to her…she's a fit young woman with desirable features," but soon he had to wonder if that was it.

After mulling the possibilities over for another half hour or so, he decided that it must be the mystery attached to her. He had always loved a good mystery. Once he had solved it, he would no longer feel so drawn to her. Logically, it made sense. Kagome was similar to himself in two base and important ways; she had a fighter's background and she had secrets. That alone would be enough for his interest to be roused. The tidbits she had shared with him over the last few months only intensified his curiosity and seemed to solidify his new theory.

Kagome was of interest because she was an interesting person, and once he had figured her out, he wouldn't feel the need to pay her so much attention. He could then move on to the next intrigue.

Satisfied with himself, Kurama relaxed and waited for Kagome to wake up.

Shortly, Kurama heard the tell-tale signs that his charge was awakening. As her breathing sped up and her eyelashes fluttered, he prepared the questions he had for the priestess.

When Kagome's eyes opened, he gave her a few moments to regain her awareness. As he'd thought she would, she immediately sensed his presence beside her.

"Where am I?" was her first pragmatic question.

"The Infirmary Wing. You've been sleeping for several hours."

"I dreamed…my grandfather was dead."

Kurama paused. He hadn't expected this, but guessed it was because she wasn't used to the Dreamless Sleep potion and perhaps was still drowsy. "Kagome…I'm afraid that wasn't a dream." He hoped that was diplomatic enough.

She became very quiet. "Part of me hoped everything was a dream."

"Everything?"

Kagome looked up at him and he could see the shadows of the beast that haunted her. He just wished he could tell what it was.

When she didn't answer, Kurama decided to press his luck. "Why don't you tell me about the dream you were having?"

Kagome's lips pursed slightly before she replied, "I dreamed about my…grandfather."

"Liar."

She was surprised at his boldness. "Excuse me?"

"I heard what you said during your nightmare. I want you to tell me about it."

Damn. She was caught and they both knew it. But what to say…? Kurama had been very kind to her, but she wasn't exactly sure what to make of him. Even after spending several months studying with him over the summer, she really hadn't learned that much about him. Not that she'd asked…

'_Maybe he really wants to know why I have nightmares…He might be genuinely concerned. You know, like a _friend_ might be? Remember friends, Kagome? You used to have those…'_ Kagome struggled to recall exactly how she used to act around her friends Yuka, Ayame, and Eri. It had been nearly seven months since she'd even been around them. She considered Yukina her friend, but outside of the koorime she hadn't disclosed much information about herself.

Still confused, she looked to Kurama to guide her answer. "Why do you want to know?"

"It must've been very scary," His voice was kind. "I thought you might want to get it off your chest so maybe you'd stop dreaming about it."

"Fat chance," Kagome sighed. "I've had the same dreams for months and months." She bit her inner cheek—_'Oops…Hope I don't sound like a freak now…'_ Furtively, she glanced back at the red head. He appeared interested, which both encouraged Kagome and made her more anxious.

'_If I tell him what I'm really dr__eaming about, he'll want to know the whole story and I'm not ready to talk about that now…maybe not ever…I wonder if I could tell him just enough so that he's satisfied and I don't have to go—there. Maybe if I just tell him a little bit, we could be friends?'_ Kagome paused at that thought. Did she want Kurama as a friend? Did he even want _her_ as a friend? _'One way to find out, I guess.'_

"I dreamed…" She stopped herself. "I'm not sure how to say it…"

"It's alright. Take your time."

"I dreamed about my…past. I was remembering my friends."

"Go on,"

Kagome reminded herself to keep it simple. "And my—I mean, he wasn't really my—but he was—we weren't ever—" So much for simple.

Kurama picked up on her faltering words. "What was his name?"

"InuYasha." The word slipped past her lips almost of its own accord. His name left a feeling of hollow emptiness that was void of sadness yet full of numb acceptance.

Kurama sat back. So this InuYasha was Kagome's love interest at some point. From her reluctance to speak of him, he had to guess it didn't end well. Should he push her further? Maybe just a bit…

"From what I could make out about your dream, it sounded very violent. Do you think you dream about it because it was so traumatic or because it's…unfinished business?" There. That was vague enough, in case her dream wasn't an actual event but a mish-mash of memories and it also covered the theory he had that Kagome was running from a powerful enemy.

"I really don't want to talk about it anymore."

…Unless she decided to be uncooperative. "Kagome…I really think it would help ease your mind if you talked to someone about these matters."

"I already have. With Yukina."

Hm. Kurama would have to pay the ice maiden a visit…He was certain she would give him details if he told her Kagome's health was at stake. But now Kagome seemed to have gone completely cold and he couldn't leave her in such an uncomfortable state…

"I'm very sorry if I've upset you, Kagome. I'm just concerned. If these dreams are re-occurring, that has significance and I'm worried about how it's affecting you."

"I'm fine. Thank you." Kagome's clipped tones suggested that Kurama had, indeed, overstepped the boundary.

"…I had better be going, then. I hope you feel better soon, Kagome." Kurama dipped a slight bow and drew the curtain to leave.

"Wait."

Kurama stopped.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to leave. I just…don't like talking about that subject. At all."

The kitsune turned around, all traces of smug satisfaction wiped away by the time he was facing Kagome again. "It's alright. I apologize as well…it wasn't my place to coerce you."

Kagome gave a slight smile. "If that was coercion, I got off easy."

"I can stay with you awhile longer, if you like. Madame Pomfrey should be dismissing you soon and then we can walk to class. It's almost time for Care of Magical Creatures."

Kagome smacked her forehead. "Classes! I completely forgot…how many have I missed?"

"_We_ have missed two classes and what was left of lunch."

"Oh, that," Kagome moaned. "Malfoy is a real jerk. What makes him think he has the right to talk to me like that!"

"Maybe he likes you," Kurama joked.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I guess I do have the innate ability to attract jerks." She paused to consider her remark. Kurama appeared interested as well…not good. Better change topics. "So, do you think you could call Madame Pomfrey over so we can go? I don't want to miss any more than we have to."

Honoring her wishes, Kurama let his questions go unanswered and rose to get Pomfrey.

The pair arrived outside of Hagrid's hut just as the half-giant was finishing his start-of-term speech. Kurama took Kagome by the wrist and deftly led her through the small crowd to Yusuke's side.

"Nice timing, fox-boy," The detective muttered.

"I do what I can," Kurama retorted.

"Yo, Higurashi. You feelin better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Glad to hear it. We practically had to drag Yukina to her next class, you know. She wanted to stay with you."

Kagome blushed. "Ah…I'll have to find her after class and reassure her."

"You do that." Yusuke switched his attention to Hagrid, who was leading the class off toward the Forest. "C'mon, we'd better catch up."

They trailed the rest of the class, filled with sixth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins, and found Kuwabara and Hiei waiting for them at the tail-end of the group.

Nodding silently to the newcomers, the students brought their focus around to Hagrid, who was standing near a knee-high box which was covered by a large cloth.

"Gather roun' everyone, gather roun'. Now, I've decided that you're all sorely lackin' in knowledge a beasts that can turn themselves invisible. Today, we're goin' to study a beast known as a Diricawl. Now, these are very skittish, so if we're to have any chance of getting it to turn visible, we need to be very still and quiet…Why don't you sit on the ground? There, that's a good lot…"

Kurama turned his head slightly when he heard a specific voice muttering complaints about being made to sit on the grass and dirt. Gently, he rubbed his hands over the grass at his side and, with a thought, sent thistles to pop up under Malfoy's bottom. When the blonde erupted into cries of outrage, he turned his head to look with mild curiosity, just like everyone else in the class. With further satisfaction, he listened as Hagrid deducted ten points from Slytherin because of Malfoy's outburst and likely disruption of the Diricawl.

Hagrid begged the class to settle down so they could view the animal. "Now…everyone be real quiet and still…there's two of 'em in here…a mated pair. Take notes on their appearance and see if you can tell me which is the male and which the female." There was a brief rustle as students pulled out their parchment, quills, and ink. "Alright. Here we go."

He gently pulled the cloth away from the glass cage as the class held their breath in anticipation.

Suddenly, the creatures inside the cage were in view.

"But—but that's a _dodo bird!_" Kuwabara gaped. The muggle-born and transfer students stared openly. "We're going to study a _dodo bird_?"

"Shut up, you idiot!" Yusuke elbowed the redhead.

The dodos blinked once and abruptly disappeared; the entire class moaned.

"Way to go, you numbskulls." Hiei muttered.

"Hey, I'm not the one with the big mouth over here, 'kay?" Yusuke growled.

Hagrid cleared his throat. "Eh…right. Everyone shut yer traps for a bit…we'll see if we can't get them to re-appear…told ye they were flighty…"

The class settled down again, but Kuwabara had to ask, "Umm…sir? We're supposed to study dodos? Aren't they, like, extinct?"

"Obviously not," Malfoy chimed in.

Ignoring him, Hagrid answered, "Yes, these are called dodos in the Muggle world and are thought to have been extinct for over a century, but really are just creatures that can disappear at will…Though they were hunted quite a bit by wizards for their meat and now are quite hard to come by."

"So, how did you come by a pair?" Malfoy asked pointedly.

Without missing a beat, Hagrid replied, "I got connections too, ye know. Now, let's just all settle down and see if they'll reappear!"

Although the class remained quiet for nearly twenty minutes, the dodos failed to reappear and Hagrid was forced to dismiss the class early.

"Why don't we go find Yukina so she can see that you're alright?" Kurama suggested as they made their way back to the castle.

"That sounds like a good idea," Kagome replied but was interrupted by an enormous growl from her belly. She blushed. "Eh…Sorry."

"You've barely eaten at all today. I suggest we make a pit stop at the kitchen."

"That would be fantastic." Her tummy growled its assent.

After a short but extremely successful meeting with the kitchen elves, the two waited at the foot of a staircase for Yukina to arrive from her last class. Finally, the ice maiden made her way down the stairs as she chatted animatedly with new acquaintances; when she saw Kagome, however, she broke away and dashed down to hug her friend.

"Are you alright? I've been so worried-"

Kagome laughed a little and held her tighter. "How was your class?"

The three walked slowly down the hallway as Yukina recounted her tales from her first classes.

"And that's when the professor said-"

"I'm sorry, Yukina, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm suddenly feeling very tired. Would you mind if I went to my room for awhile?"

Yukina looked concerned. "Do you need someone to walk with you?"

"I would gladly accompany you," Kurama offered but Kagome waved him off.

"No, no, it's fine. I just…need some alone time. Thanks."

Yukina appeared to want to argue further but Kurama put a hand on her shoulder. "We understand. I'll come by before dinner to see how you are."

Kagome nodded and turned abruptly down the hallway. Students parted for her and she walked faster through the path that opened up.

Kurama turned to Yukina after Kagome was out of listening range. He was trying to figure out a way to get Yukina to spill the beans on Kagome when the koorime beat him to the punch.

"I'm really worried for her, Kurama."

"Why's that?"

Yukina shook her head. "She seems fragile, like she's about to break."

The fox spirit tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "Maybe she already has."

"What makes you say that?"

"Just small things I've gathered from our conversations. I'm worried about her, too."

"What has she told you?"

"About InuYasha…" He crossed his fingers and hoped that Yukina would take his bait without having to elaborate further…all he really knew was the guy's name.

A look of understanding dawned on her face and Kurama knew he'd struck a gold mine. "I didn't know she'd told you, too…It took her quite a few weeks to even mention it to me…"

Saving face, Kurama jumped back in, "Well, she wasn't explicit. Quite vague, in fact…but I could tell how hurt she was."

"It was terrible, her being taken from his time right when she finally confessed her love…" Yukina's voice became dreamlike, as if she were remembering a terrifically sad romance novel.

Kurama's heart rate slowed and he approached his next words with extreme caution. "So…how long has it been since she…saw him last?"

She chuckled. "About five hundred years, give or take."

Kurama stilled the exclamation in his throat but Yukina saw his look of outright shock and confusion and was instantly wary.

"I thought she'd told you all of this?"

"I thought all there was to it was that she loved InuYasha and wasn't with him anymore…" He hoped playing dumb would get him off the hook; unfortunately, Yukina knew his ploys quite well.

"If Kagome hasn't shared this with you, it's not my place to, either."

"I'm simply concerned for her well-being."

"If you know anything about Kagome, you know that she survives. She'll get through this." Yukina's voice was unusually firm, closing the subject.

Kurama knew when he wasn't going to get anything else out of a person. His intuition stirred and climbed through his gut like a siren's song. This puzzle was far from finished, and if he was right, and he usually was, things were about to get very interesting.


	11. Survivors

**Chapter 11: Survivors**-

The headaches began a few weeks after Kagome learned of her grandfather's death. At first, she attributed the pains to stress and took more care to drink water and get more sleep. The pains would come and go in waves, leaving her alone for a few days at a time. Sometimes, however, the pain would become so intense that she would lie in bed for hours with enchanted earplugs and spells of darkness on her curtains.

When she missed her third class because of the pains, Kurama convinced her to see Yukina. The ice maiden had had several weeks of training in the Infirmary to add to her basic knowledge of wizardly healing skills. After looking Kagome over both physically and with a basic wound-revealing spell, she confessed ignorance and sent her friend on to Madame Pomfrey.

Kagome went along grudgingly, assuring her friends the entire time that it was probably just migraines; a few Pepper-Up potions and she would be fine.

Madame Pomfrey's analysis of her condition yielded similar findings. Kagome was suffering from migraines and should continue to get more rest, drink water, and take a super-charged dose of headache potion when she felt one coming on.

Convinced that this was the end of it, Kagome said nothing more about the issue.

But three weeks later, the potions no longer touched the pains, which seemed to be growing stronger by the day.

Quidditch try-outs came and went; both Yusuke and Kuwabara made first alternates for the Beater positions. While they were no-doubt the most ferocious swingers, they were still too new to flying to be trusted on the starting team. Luckily for them, Beaters were more likely to be knocked out of a game than any other position and had several chances to show off their skills in the first few games.

Kagome attended these events with Yukina and often sat with the Hufflepuffs; eventually, the members of that House became used to seeing the pair together and became relatively comfortable around Kagome, although they still avoided direct contact.

Although her flying lessons had ended after the first week of classes, Kagome often took time to borrow a broomstick and whiz around the Quidditch Pitch before or after dinner. Yukina refused to set foot on a broom after her first week ended in a few terrible spills but Yusuke and Kuwabara could usually be found to accompany her.

It was after one such evening of light flying and casual air games that Yusuke and Kuwabara called it quits early.

"We finally got that Hermione chick to take us seriously and she's helping us study for a Potions exam." Yusuke explained their early departure.

"Yeah, we're real sorry Higurashi. But Snape is an evil bastard and I don't want to have to drink any more of my messed-up potions." Kuwabara shuddered.

"It's alright. I wanted to fly around by myself for a little while, anyway. I'll see you tomorrow in class?"

"Definitely. Later, Higurashi." The pair departed quickly, leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts.

She was feeling much better about her grandfather's passing now…it was still an incredibly sensitive subject, but Kagome no longer felt that it might swallow her whole world. Her grandpa had been one of her biggest supporters for her journeys to the past. He was always there when she returned home with an injury, saying prayers and performing rituals right alongside her mother, who applied the more practical healing tools, such as band aids and antiseptic creams. She had many fond memories, which is what she tried to focus on. But the fact that she had missed his funeral and hadn't been able to go home to support her family was weighing her down with guilt. Sometimes, flying helped clear her thoughts.

"_It also kind of reminds me of how it used to feel to ride with InuYasha,"_ she mused bitterly.

Turning her broom around, she flew lazily in large circles, going up to the top of the stands and then descending slowly back towards the ground. It was on her third loop that she felt one of the headaches start.

They always started in the same place—the very back of her head, deep in her skull, with a pounding like someone beat a drum inside her veins. The pain would move through her head like waves, crashing against the barrier of her skull and reverberating down her neck, leaving her entire head encased in a burning ache.

"_But," _she thought to herself, _"it's not that bad yet. I've still got another half hour before it gets really bad."_ Kagome steeled herself against the pain and urged the broom a little faster. The sting of the cool autumn breeze helped clear her mind and push back the pain.

Kagome reviewed the last few weeks in passing…Classes, researching for papers, practicing spells and trying to keep up with her peers. Yukina and Kurama were at the forefront of her mind; she spent most of her spare time with them. Draco Malfoy and Orla Quirke were also frequently a part of her day, although definitely not in a positive way.

Draco insisted on making kissy noises at her whenever she and Kurama were together and made as many Asian jokes as he could think of, regardless that many featured Chinese as opposed to Japanese subjects. The one time she'd told him that they were in fact, entirely separate countries, he responded with, "Well, you can't expect me to tell the difference! You all look the same!"

Kagome huffed at that memory and pushed her broom faster around the Pitch. "Stupid brat…maybe he'd shut up if I made some nasty blonde jokes at him!" She chuckled to herself at that, turning several of her favorites around in her head and picturing Malfoy's various reactions.

She was mid-chortle when the first wave of sharp pain hit her. Shocked, she wobbled on the broom, which dropped several feet and took off on its own course. Kagome struggled to regain control and direct the broom closer to the ground for landing but more pain was coming. This was the worst it had ever been and it had never come on so fast.

Kagome struggled with nausea from the caustic pain behind her eyes and from the swooping of the broom that dropped like a stone every time she lost control. Scared, she sat back on the broom to stop it mid-air, about fifteen feet above the ground. She intended to slowly lower the broom to the ground and dismount, but she was suddenly overcome by a wall of darkness that came from behind her eyelids and even though she kept her eyes wide open, all she saw was emptiness. She heard a rushing wall of air and a distinctive popping noise and all sensation was washed away.

Out of the void came voices, many voices from far away. Kagome struggled to keep up as the words washed over her. A familiar blue light edged into the picture, like a tunnel or a time warp, taking her away from the void. Her stomach fell in a familiar pattern, just like when she jumped into the well at home. Right before she was sure she would hit the ground, Kagome saw a tall, thin man with a bald head bent over in pain. He turned around, as if he knew she was there, and Naraku's morbid red gaze cut right though her. He straightened and laughed victoriously, pleased beyond measure with himself.

Kagome opened her mouth to scream and opened her eyes to find that she was flat on her back, staring up at the Quidditch pitch, her broom lazily flying in circles above her. She noted that her body was one massive ache but the headache was gone. She checked herself for broken bones or other injuries but couldn't find anything serious. Relieved, she flopped back onto the cooling grass and tried to make sense out of what had just happened.

She had seen Naraku! Or, what looked like him…but those eyes! His eyes! Red like blood and cold, calculating, as if it didn't matter to him if he killed you or let you live; he just had to decide which outcome would favor him more. And his laughter-! Kagome's body quaked with shivers. That laugh had preceded some of his worst attacks; it was a mocking sound, harsh like crows and yet…he sounded happy? Kagome shook that thought away; Naraku was never happy, it was more like he was pleased. But pleased by what?

"Oh!" Kagome beat her fists into the ground beside her. "This is ridiculous; Naraku is gone! He's been gone!" Frustrated but still frightened, Kagome picked herself up off the ground and called the errant broom back to her hand. She limped slowly back to the castle, afraid to take to the skies again. Full dark closed over the castle just as the doors eased shut behind her.

Kagome navigated her way through the passages of the castle without running into anyone she knew very well, but nevertheless, she felt like everyone she passed was staring, like many pairs of red eyes were marking her progress through the hallways. She considered going to the Library to find some solace, although she realized that the feeling of harassment and that someone was watching her was all in her head. Finally, Kagome stopped, took a deep breath, and decided to make her way down to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Pureblood," the murmured password convinced the ornate, heavy doors to swing inward and allow her to enter.

Orla Quirke was just exiting the Common Room and pasted on an overly-cheerful grin, the effort of which was wasted on Kagome, who wanted nothing more than to make it through the Commons without trouble.

"Well, hello, Kagome! How are you? Oh, my you look a little worse for the wear. Did you take a tumble? Or, perhaps..." Orla lifted a strand of disheveled hair, "you took a roll in the hay?" Orla pressed for information sweetly.

Kagome blushed at her implication.

"Ooh! Who was it, who was it! It will just break Red's little heart to know you've taken someone else to bed already!"

The priestess recognized a snowball when she saw one and knew that to leave this rumor alone would make it far worse than the actual truth. "Oh, that's not it at all! No, I just fell off my broomstick." Kagome felt satisfied with her answer.

Orla's left eye gleamed with menace. "Red will be thrilled to hear you're loyal to him, after all! So do tell, Kagome, is he a good shag?"

Kagome's eyes bugged and she edged around Orla as quickly as she could. "Um, I'll see you later. I've, uh, got to go."

"_What is __**wrong**__ with that girl?"_ Kagome wondered to herself as she hurried into the Commons.

Kurama was in his usual seat, a corner closest to the fireplace, surrounded by parchment, quills, and books. He stood when he saw Kagome approaching.

"How was your—what happened?" He picked a few blades of grass out of Kagome's wild mane.

"I'd rather not talk about it here." Kagome whispered, pulling her composure back as she spoke, taking in the curious glances from her peers.

Kurama folded closed his books and papers, deposited them in his satchel, and gestured for Kagome to lead the way.

"You're not going to take me by the arm again?" She grinned a little.

Kurama ducked his head, a thoroughly Suuichi gesture but one which he had adopted as his own. "Not after the last time I offered and you so graciously informed me this wasn't the Feudal Era and why don't I just let you walk where you please?"

Kagome giggled. "Well, that might be a little harsh. I was grouchy that day."

Kurama's eyebrow quirked up and Kagome blushed. "Grouchy, she says. Grouchy like Yusuke with a hangover."

In spite of the troubled thoughts racing through her head, Kagome laughed. "That's not fair!"

They stepped out of the Common room door and Kurama's attention was immediately turned away from his companion. Kagome followed suite, her powers flaring out tentatively. She found a familiar energy in the corner of the tunnel to their left.

"I know you're there."

Hiei appeared several seconds later. If Kagome didn't know better, she'd have thought the little demon was sulking.

"Isn't it bad enough the girl can sense me? Now I can't even hide from you."

"You never could." Kurama's response held a hint of smile.

"Hn." Hiei's nose turned up. "This school is scrambling all of my usual defense mechanisms."

"Then you shall have to learn new ones."

Hiei stared at him hard for a moment, considering whether to deign a response. "I was working on it."

Kagome had a response on the tip of her tongue but decided to keep quiet but Hiei turned towards her anyway.

"Go ahead and say it, priestess. I can see your words all over your face."

"I like to think I have some sense of tact."

"Perhaps more a sense of survival?" Kurama corrected her.

"That, too."

Kurama stopped their conversation with a raised hand. Seconds later, footsteps echoed down the hallway. Hiei disappeared, although with a little effort Kagome could feel him, hiding further up the hallway.

"Let us continue our walk."

They proceeded up the hallway, towards the incoming footsteps. They rounded a slight corner and nearly ran into Draco Malfoy.

"Watch yourselves, why don't you!" The blonde stormed passed them quickly, but his words were less angry than they were flustered.

"He must not be feeling well."

"You feel sorry for him?" Kurama asked.

Kagome's eyes hardened for a moment. "No." She paused and exhaled. "He's human, just like me and you, you know? Wait. I mean—"

"I know what you meant," chuckled Kurama. "But even after all his comments, you still feel sorry for him?"

"I don't know if sorry is the right word, but there's a reason he acts the way he does and I'm not saying it's right, but no one likes to have a bad day."

Kurama was silent and Kagome looked up at him, questioning. The look in his eyes was so cool, so calculating that it made her tremble for just a moment. Then, the expression had passed and he was staring at her with his usual calm demeanor.

"What's with that face?" Kagome questioned him, even as she felt Hiei return to their side. The little demon stood by silently but his eyes followed their conversation like a ping-pong match.

"What face?"

"Don't play Nice Human with me, Kurama. What was that about?"

Kurama stared down at the shorter girl, a little put-out that she had seen the fleeting expression yet compelled at the same time. "It is a rare person who has the ability to truly forgive. While I understand such clemency, I find that it is not within me to do the same."

"An elegant way of saying you're a harsh bastard when it comes to revenge." Hiei's interjection was snarky, angry that he'd been effectively elbowed out of the conversation.

"Is that true?" Kagome's wide eyes stared up at him, not judging but wondering.

"We should continue this conversation somewhere with more privacy," the kitsune replied, leading Kagome out of the dungeons with Hiei trailing behind.

The priestess huffed. "I'll take that as a polite, 'We'll talk about this later,'"

Kurama chuckled but didn't respond.

The trio ended up in the library, in the very back corner next to several large windows. It was fully dark by now, so nothing but their reflections could be seen outside the glass.

"Tell us what happened after dinner."

The priestess twiddled her thumbs, composing her thoughts. "I'm honestly not too sure. I was flying around the Pitch; Yusuke and Kuwabara went in early to study for an exam. I felt a headache coming on but I kept flying because the cool air made me feel better. And then…"

Her voice trailed off for so long that Hiei prompted her impatiently. "And then?"

A thread of fear crept into her voice. "The headache got much worse and came on faster than it ever had before. I lost control of the broom and I heard…um, voices." She looked up, trying to see the impact her words had. Both men were listening attentively, no hint of mockery or doubt.

"And then?" Kurama's probe was kinder.

"And then…" Her eyes closed of their own accord and it was like being sucked back into the vision. Naraku was there! And his laughter, his eyes! The sick glee that came with triumph; Kagome knew it had something to do with her, which made her stomach lurch with dread.

A hand on her shoulder snapped her out of the memory. "Kagome?" Kurama's touch was firm but still gentle.

"I saw a man. Tall and thin. He looked right at me. His eyes—" Her words caught in her throat, panic was rising but she continued without urging. "He had Naraku's red eyes. Not even like yours, Hiei, but darker like real blood. He started laughing." She paused, overcome with emotions she couldn't even name. "Laughing, mocking me."

There was a long lull in her story and both Kurama and Hiei let her have the time to collect herself but they shared a look that promised a long conversation later. She was so caught up in her memory of the event that she hadn't stopped to explain who Naraku was, although he was obviously terrifying to her.

"When the vision cleared, I was flat on my back, looking up at the Pitch."

"You fell from the broom? How high up were you?" Kurama didn't think she'd been limping and thought that if anything was broken she would've expressed some pain, but then again, she could be close to shock at this point.

"I'm not sure, maybe twenty feet, maybe less."

Kurama was on his feet, pulling her up gently. "You need to be seen."

"What? No. I'm just achy and sore, I promise."

Kurama pointedly grabbed her shoulder, causing her to wince.

Realizing she was fighting a losing game, she resorted to pleading. "But I've already spent so much time at Madame Pomfrey's!"

Hiei smirked; this argument was over before it began.

Madame Pomfrey was settling the Infirmary down for the night but was more than happy to look Kagome over. When Kagome had changed into a loose robe to be examined, Pomfrey 'tsk, tsk'd' and got the bruise balm out. Turning around, Kagome saw the dark mottling extending from her shoulders to her tailbone. Seeing the marks was like flipping a switch and suddenly she was all too happy to be in the Infirmary.

Kurama and Hiei waited outside a drawn curtain and winced when they heard Kagome's sharp intake of breath.

"Will we be forever waiting for this girl to come out of the hospital wing?"

"It is getting late," Kurama agreed.

"I believe the Detective may want in on this one."

"If you're volunteering to go fetch him, please do so."

Hiei gave Kurama a considering stare. "You're going to wait for her. Again."

Kurama returned the look coolly. "Yes."

"Why? I thought by now your interest in her would have faded."

A smirk showed briefly on the kitsune's lips. "So did I. But, in fact, I believe the opposite is happening."

There was a long period of silence while they listened to Pomfrey dress Kagome's back with healing bandages.

Then, "You're an idiot."

"I've begun to ponder that likelihood myself, lately."

"She's human and a priestess, Kurama, get that through your brain. Unless all you're looking for is a good f—"

Kurama silenced him with a withering glare. Even Hiei knew when he was crossing thin ice. The end of their whispered conversation was well-timed, as Pomfrey drew back the curtain separating the group.

"There. Now, off to bed with you Miss Higurashi. Don't forget to apply the balm twice a day. The marks should be gone in a few days."

Kagome murmured her thanks and the trio left the wing. Hiei parted with them, telling Kurama he would meet him in the library in a few minutes. With that, his form blurred down the hallway.

"Was it something I said?" Kagome joked poorly.

"You should get some rest, Kagome. You've had a long day."

"What do you think I should do about the vision?"

Kurama pondered this before responding. "I think you should rest tonight and we'll discuss it tomorrow after classes. There is much to consider."

Nodding, Kagome turned away from Kurama. "I'll head back to the Common Room now. I don't want you to keep Hiei waiting; he's not the patient type."

"No, he's not. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight. Thanks for watching out for me."

Kurama watched her go before he went his separate way. With any luck, Hiei would have rounded up the detectives and they could figure some of this puzzle out before curfew was called.

"Okay, so let's review what we know. Kagome is a priestess. She hasn't said shit to us about where she came from or why she's here."

"She's running from something." Hiei added.

"We'll assume whatever is chasing her is pretty badass. If that's the case, we need to pay attention because anything that powerful will be able to follow her here."

"Perhaps she's not running from an enemy but from a mistake?" Kurama interjected. He knew more about Kagome than he was letting on, but while he had to include the team, he wanted the satisfaction of solving this mystery himself.

"Possible. If that's the case, we don't have to worry so much. It's just her personal shit following her around."

"It's more than that," Hiei replied. "I heard her nightmares from the boggart test. You all heard her shouting about a curse and a traitor weeks ago. Now, she's having headaches and visions of someone called Naraku. Someone she feared so much that just the recanting of the memory caused her heart to race in fear. No, I believe we are dealing with much more than personal baggage."

Kuwabara, who interacted with Kagome least of all the team, interjected, "Maybe if we find out what her baggage is we'll figure out what's after her, too."

"That's the best idea I've heard from you all day, dude." Yusuke slugged his best friend in the shoulder. Kuwabara's outraged shout caused Madame Pince to swoop upon them, shushing violently and threatening to throw them out.

Calm once more, the four men settled back down. "How do we figure out her personal stuff? We've known her for months and I like her and all but she really doesn't say much about herself."

"She's very close with Yukina," Kurama added.

"I thought she was closer to you, fox?" sarcasm laced Hiei's words. "Why don't you take it upon yourself to get to know her better, since that has apparently been your aim all along?"

Yusuke and Kuwabara were staring at Kurama, ready to burst into questions and innuendo at any moment. Inwardly, Kurama sighed.

"Whoa, fox! What happened to that 'completely platonic' relationship you were barking about before!"

"It makes sense, you know," Kuwabara added. He grabbed Kurama's hand, raising the pinky. "I can almost see that string of luuuuurve tying them together!"

Kurama snatched his hand back and sat stiffly, not enjoying being on this end of the interrogation.

"Have ya kissed her yet?"

"Have you—"

"No. I am not involved with Kagome romantically."

"Yet."

Kurama gave Hiei a vicious glare and weighed his options. "I admit I have interest in her."

Yusuke and Kuwabara hooted, smacking the table and cackling. "You sure know how to pick them, fox-boy!"

Madame Pince stormed their table, ordered them out of the library and banned them for the following day as punishment for rowdiness.

Banished, the four loitered outside the library entrance.

"I vote we talk to Yukina about Kagome. Kurama, you're the best man for the job. You've gotta get her story out of her somehow so we know what we're dealing with here."

Kurama knew a corner when he was in one and accepted the assignment without question. He had wanted to do this for ages anyway; now he would just have to share some of the knowledge he gained with his team. Some.

Kurama made it back to the Common Room right before curfew. A good number of students lingered and Kurama settled into his customary corner for some quiet thinking time. Slowly, the room emptied and the noise died down to just the crackling fire. Concentrating inwardly, Kurama pondered the situation and the best way to approach Kagome. He had made up his mind that he wanted to pursue her, but mixing business with pleasure was tricky business. The possibility that she would discover his dual purposes was high and that would bring an end to a very pleasant relationship, not to mention a dead end in terms of his research.

Out of habit, he caressed the seeds at the nape of his neck and pulled out a rose seed. His energy surged after not having been used for so long and the flower blossomed with huge petals and incredible, arcing thorns. Intrigued by this change, he calmed himself and reverted the flower to a seedling. Focusing as he usually did, he re-grew it but found that it had taken on the typical form he was accustomed to. He repeated this exercise several times but to no avail.

The light touch of footsteps on the carpeted stairs to his left switched his focus outward. Kagome rounded the corner in comfortable Muggle pajamas, her hair slightly askew.

"Kurama?"

"I'm here."

The priestess looked relieved and made her way to him. A small smile on his lips, Kurama presented her with the rose. Kagome's surprise showed but she took the flower delicately, mindful of the thorns, and drew a deep breath of the fragrance. Kurama felt a pull deep in his chest and channeled more energy into the flower, filling it to its peak with health and aroma.

"It's lovely. I'm so glad you're here. I couldn't sleep." She sat in the chair next to his, wincing as her back muscles stretched.

"Easily understood. How are you feeling?"

"Tired and sore. Actually, I was hoping you could help me a little. Madame Pomfrey tied these healing bandages a little too tightly. That's part of why I couldn't sleep."

"I imagine they're tied tightly for a reason. I think you should keep them on."

"That's fine, I will, but I just want them loosened a little. Please?"

That hint of pleading, asking him to help her almost made him give in immediately, but prudence won out and the part of his brain thinking practical thoughts took over. "How do you suggest going about this? Has she wrapped your entire torso?" '_Will I have to undress you?'_ is what his entire body wanted to know.

"Yes." His stomach tightened. "But it's just the part around my ribs that's giving me problems. I can't bend or anything and it's hard to breathe. Here," she turned in her seat, facing away from him; she was unbuttoning her pajama top. He had to close his eyes and fight the tension building in his stomach. Her top slid off her shoulders, revealing delicate skin. Kurama took a deep breath as the bandages came into view; focusing on the utter absence of sexiness that medical dressings muster made it easier to do the job she wanted.

_Unless she wants something different,_ a wicked voice suggested. Kurama squashed it brutally.

"Where is the end?"

"I'm working on the knot right now; at least she tied it where I can get to it!"

"How do you want to…go about this?"

Casting a glance over her shoulder, Kagome saw the low heat in Kurama's eyes and blushed. Suddenly she wondered if she really wanted out of these bandages so badly. And then, embarrassment was shoved aside as a beautiful image of Kurama kissing her bare back flooded her mind. Sensitive to such changes, Kurama picked up on the speeding of her heart.

"I—I think I'll unwind it in the front and pass the wrap to you and we'll go around my body and adjust the tight—the um, tightness." She squeezed her eyes shut after stammering over that stupid word, thanking every deity she knew that Kurama couldn't see her face.

Kagome passed the end of the bandage back to Kurama, who took it delicately and passed it back on the other side. Concentrating on the rhythm of their hand-offs, Kurama was able to accomplish his task without losing his composure.

Kagome heaved a deep sigh when the bands were finally loose enough for her to be comfortable. "Ah! That's so much better!" Her body shivered. "But it's so much cooler, now, too."

Demon eyes picked up the sprinkling of gooseflesh rising across her back, testifying to her chill. At that moment, there was nothing Kurama wanted more than to lean forward and warm her body. But was that what she wanted? Pressing forward now might prove disastrous, but ignoring this chance could mean they would be forever stuck in the cycle of Just Friends.

_What could it hurt to give in, just a little?_

"You can pass me the end back, now," Kagome called over her shoulder, gesturing for him to begin re-binding her back.

_Do or die,_ Kurama thought. He placed his hand on her back and slowly traced down the edge of her spine. She tensed, her breath caught and she refused to look over her shoulder.

"Kurama—"

He removed his hand immediately, cursing inwardly. "I apologize, Kagome, it's late and I—"

She turned slightly and clutched her robe tighter around her. "Don't apologize. I just…I'm complicated. I mean, I'm a complicated person. I don't know if this, if you…" She groped for words while Kurama sat silently behind her. "People that I care for usually wind up getting hurt." She faced him more fully now, eyes large with sorrow. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Softly, as he knew this was an important moment, he touched her hand. "I'm a very hard person to kill."

Kagome tried to laugh. "I didn't say anything about killing." She disregarded the pile of wrappings in her lap and buttoned her top before facing him fully. "Sometimes I forget you come from a life not so different from mine." She paused, deciding whether or not to continue. "Tell me, please, what you meant earlier when you said you don't forgive people."

Kurama struggled to turn his thoughts from carnal to analytical. He knew he would have to show some of his cards in order to earn her trust. "You've heard about the Dark Tournament and the things that we had to do while we were participating?"

"Enough to know you were fighting for your lives every day. I know you were all hurt badly at some point or another."

Kurama nodded. "We're all fighters, Kagome. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and I all love the thrill of battle; we love the uncertainty that comes with each new opponent. Some of us, like Hiei, are so accustomed to walking that line between survival and death that we cannot bring ourselves to remain in one place too long."

"That's fine, I understand the warrior mentality. What I don't understand is why Hiei seems to think you're ruthless."

Kurama pondered exactly how honest he should be at this point. "It's because I am ruthless." He waited for her reaction and watched her grow quieter, more apprehensive of him. "It is not a side of me I ever expect you to see but neither am I ashamed of my actions. Understand that the times I have seen differ greatly from the ones you've grown up in."

"I really doubt that."

"Why so?" An edge had crept into Kurama's voice; thoughts of his past always brought Youko closer to the surface.

Instead of answering directly, Kagome sidestepped the question and answered with, "Yukina said you questioned her about me. I know you know something about my past."

_Well, well, it seems she does know how to play this game._ Intrigue tinged with lust began to spiral upwards from Kurama's soul. Youko liked this harder side of Kagome.

"I admit I asked her about you. I wanted to know about InuYasha." He struck a nerve with that one; the girl tensed immediately.

"Why would you want to know about him?" She was definitely on the defensive now.

"I want to know more about you. I was also concerned that part of your sadness since coming here stemmed from him."

Kagome deterred his soothing words with a stinging retort, "If you're so ruthless, how do I know you won't use what I tell you against me?"

Well, that was direct. She was guarding her secret very carefully, indeed. But the next emotions that came into his mind surprised even Kurama. It actually hurt his feelings that she would think so little of him. "It's a matter of good faith, Kagome. I think that I show you the utmost respect and kindness when we're together. I would like to consider you my friend, but any relationship requires trust." Feeling suitably vindicated, Kurama sat back and watched her react.

"I'm sorry. It's not that I don't trust you; you're right, you've been nothing but kind to me." Her mind brought back the memory of his warm hand on her back and she blushed. Kurama noticed. "Friendship is very special to me. I don't take the word 'friend' lightly."

"Neither do I."

There was a lull in their exchange as they tried to figure one another out.

"Tell me why Yukina said you've been around for five hundred years."

"She said that?" Kagome squirmed, uncomfortable that Yukina had divulged such sensitive information.

In order to preserve her confidence in the koorime, Kurama explained himself. "She only said anything because I…suggested that I already knew."

Kagome's eyebrow kicked up. "You really are good at manipulation, aren't you?"

"I will take that as a compliment," was the response that made her laugh out loud.

Kagome quieted and turned her thoughts back to the one thing she truly did not want to discuss. "I don't know how much I ought to tell you," she said truthfully.

"Why? Are you still afraid I'll use it against you?" There was a slight edge to his jibe.

"Not really. I just haven't been able to bring myself to talk about it."

"Would you try? For me?" Kurama intentionally added that last bit, but he relished her body's response.

The priestess didn't answer for so long that he thought the conversation was ended. When he was about to suggest they return to their rooms, she finally spoke.

"What is your experience with time travel, Kurama?"

"Little to none. Kuwabara was once lost in a different dimension where time ran differently but he was eventually rescued. What is your experience?"

Kagome looked him in the eye, some of her steely reservation slipping into a disconnected sadness. "When I was fifteen, I was pulled into the well on the grounds of my family's shrine by a centipede demon. The well was a portal to the past, five hundred years ago in feudal Japan. There, I learned that I'm the reincarnation of a priestess named Kikyo and that when she died, the sacred Jewel she protected passed into my body." She touched her hip. "I still have a scar from where the centipede ripped the Jewel out of me."

Kurama leaned forward, intently listening to every nuance of her voice.

"I made friends in the past; Sango, Miroku, Shippou and InuYasha." Her breath caught. "There were others, but I traveled mainly with those four. The Jewel that was inside my body attracts great evil and corrupts those who desire it for selfish purposes. I accidentally shattered it into many pieces that spread across Japan and we spent nearly two years trying to piece it back together. We had to defeat many demons who wanted to possess the shards we collected but no one was worse than Naraku."

Finally, Kurama was getting the answers he craved! He focused his attention entirely on the young woman before him.

"He used to be a human, but allowed his soul to be devoured by many demons in order to gain power. He would stop at nothing to accomplish his goals, no matter how cruel his actions. He cursed Miroku's lineage, slew Sango's entire village and killed InuYasha's lover, Kikyo."

"And you are that same woman's reincarnation, correct?"

"Yes."

"But I thought you were InuYasha's ah…love interest?"

Kagome's jaw clenched.

_I'll have to be more careful with my choice of words. Hopefully the situation is reparable._ "I apologize, I didn't mean—"

"It's fine." Clearly it wasn't, but Kagome plowed ahead with her story as if thankful to relieve the immense weight of her history. "InuYasha does love me. Did love me. At first, it was because I looked like her but then…he was so confused. Kikyo was reanimated by a witch and she wanted revenge on InuYasha because she thought he'd betrayed her and the whole thing was a huge mess. He wanted both of us and she used that against us all in the end." A bitter laugh bubbled up. "I shouldn't be telling you all of this, but I can't stop myself."

"It's alright," Kurama reassured her softly, but inside he was celebrating his luck. He was much closer to solving this puzzle than he ever thought he'd be in such a short time. "How did it end?"

"We thought it ended perfectly, considering who we were dealing with. None of us died in the final battle against Naraku. And Kikyo…Kikyo was sent back to Hell, where she belongs." Kagome's voice was venomous. "But not before she cursed me."

The anticipation was building inside Kurama like a fire. Here was the crux of the matter, he was sure of it! "How did she curse you?"

"A curse on you. I will live in your heart and soul for every day you wake, and in every step you take, I will be there. Never will you forget, priestess. You will never be whole again." The air seemed to become heavier as she spoke the words for the first time aloud. "It took me awhile to figure out what she'd actually done because nothing spectacular happened when she said it to me, when she was dying on the battle field. No thunderclap, no parting of the skies, no unholy light, nothing. But I felt it when InuYasha completed the Jewel. She lives on in me. I know that I'm her reincarnation but I have a separate soul from her. Or, I used to. Her hate, her rage, her poison is buried inside me. She's made me impure!" A sob started to build in the back of her throat.

Kurama reached out to comfort her, but she suddenly smacked his hand aside. "No! No more crying! Gods, I haven't stopped crying since I was sent back to this time!" She buried her face in her hands and huffed angrily while Kurama watched from the sidelines at the apparent transformation taking place. When Kagome raised her head up a few moments later, there was a distinct change in her features. Her eyes were still sad, but inside was a fire and determination Kurama had never seen before. Youko rolled so close to the surface that Kurama felt fox fur rub sensually against his insides.

"Kurama, I want to apologize for being so weak since you've met me. I've been so lost without them that I feel like I've just been wandering around, waiting for someone to tell me what to do next." Another deep, cleansing sigh. "I feel so angry at myself for allowing this to happen! And I'm still so mad at InuYasha for making that stupid last wish!"

Kurama felt like an intruder during her monologue but found he couldn't stop watching Kagome as if he'd never seen her before.

"So much has happened, Kurama, I don't think I could tell you everything that's taken place if I had two lifetimes. But starting now, I'm going to accept the path that was set out for me and I guarantee you're going to be seeing a New Kagome!" She placed her hand on top of his clasped ones. "Thank you for your honesty, and for your patience."

He covered her hand with his and smiled, "I'm glad you've found some peace. And thank _you_ for sharing so much with me."

Kagome blushed and looked at the clock to try and distract herself. "Oh! It's nearly five in the morning! Quick, help me re-wrap these silly bandages and then we need to go to bed!"

Kurama smiled, feeling extremely satisfied with himself. He knew it would only take the right words here, some encouragement there…and now, he had nearly all the answers he was looking for to solve the mystery that was Kagome. As he helped her pass the bandage around her torso he was so caught up in feeling pleased with himself that he completely missed the chance to do what he'd originally set out to.

"Thank you so much, Kurama! This feels so much better already. I'm so tired; I know I'll drop right off to sleep." She squeezed his hand warmly and gave him a sweet smile that made him want to reach out and draw her closer. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," He stood to watch her go and only then realized he hadn't kissed her.


	12. An Aside

Chapter 12: An Aside

That energy! Incredible! And after all this time… We'd thought it was too good to be true all those weeks ago when we first felt it through the connection with the boy. But now, we have done it! Together, we set out to accomplish what we could not do alone and now we see the fruition of our combined power.

The link has taken several months to test and establish; we could not know if we had succeeded until we tried to take her over. This ended in failure and a terrible drain on our energy many times. My counterpart insisted we give this up and attend to more promising leads. But I assured him, in the farthest corner of our mind, this would be worth it. He still thinks that I'm obsessed with the girl and perhaps that is true, but, as before, she is the key to everything. I told him to be patient and I would show him an incredible weakness in the enemy's armor... We had only to wait.

And now, we have done it; we've secured our place in her and we have found our opening into others she's spiritually connected to. My counterpart trusts me now than ever; my judgment will sway his words far more than any of his counselors, so I know that I will get what I want.

And I want that girl.


	13. Kiss the Girl (Part I)

**Chapter 13: Kiss the Girl (Part I)**

The first order of business for the day: find a way to kiss Kagome. This was the chief activity on Kurama's mind as he made his way to breakfast the next morning.

Normally, the kitsune functioned well on little sleep but considering he had barely been able to close his eyes last night (or, this morning, rather) he felt in dire need of caffeine. He had just seated himself and poured a steaming mug of coffee when Yusuke and Hiei entered the Hall and made their way toward him.

Kurama had a half-second's warning when he felt Hiei enter his mind and tried to shut down the thoughts racing through his mind but only half-succeeded. Judging by the insolent gleam in the brat's eye, he had indeed caught on to the fantasy Kurama had spent the last four hours perfecting. It mainly involved himself, Kagome, those damned bandages and a couch.

_I see you've been a busy boy._

Kurama was embarrassed, yet relieved that the information Kagome had divulged about her past remained his little secret.

_Don't be jealous._

"Morning, Kurama," Yusuke greeted him, his voice still hoarse from sleep.

"What inspired you to get up at this time? Usually I don't see you until lunch."

"You can call it 'inspiration' if you want. I call it Shorty's boot in my ass. He was all in a rush to get down here before lots of kids showed up for food."

"What's happened?" It must not be too serious if they were discussing it in the open like this.

"I have news from Spirit World," Hiei's voice was monotone as ever, yet Kurama sat forward in his seat, immediately at attention.

"How?" Kurama's eyes shifted from side to side, taking in the slowly growing number of breakfast-goers.

"That's what I said," Yusuke yawned. "You'd think that little bastard would've contacted me first, but nooooo…"

"Should we be discussing this here?" Kurama slipped into Japanese.

A door at the head of the Hall opened and none other than Severus Snape strode through. As a unit, the team left the hall; the last thing they needed was the one staff member who spoke their language to overhear them. As they filed past, Snape appeared to ignore them but his beady eyes followed their exit.

Safely in the corridor, the trio walked a short distance to a small alcove usually used for studying.

"Where is Kuwabara?"

"I guess I forgot to wake him up." Hiei answered blankly.

"Hiei, this matter concerns him as well. You'd better go wake him."

"My pleasure." The tone in the hybrid's voice caused Yusuke to stand and offer to go, instead.

"I'll just take one for the team on this one…be right back."

As Hiei turned his calculating stare on Kurama, the fox knew he had some explaining to do.

"Well?" Judging by the pursed lips and slightly quirked eyebrow, Kurama realized the little demon was laughing at him.

"I'm not sure what you find so amusing." Inwardly, Kurama thought that statement sounded just a little too much like whining and determined to not be judged by Hiei.

"Oh, there's plenty to be amused by, Kurama. The best part is that I get to pick my pleasure…should it be the fact that the mighty Youko has been subjected to following a human priestess like a sick puppy? Or should it be that this priestess, at any given moment, could purify you out of your human disguise and ruin all those years of trying to hide? Or, I could also choose to humiliate you with the fact that you, the very essence of thousands of men and womens' wet dreams, have failed to even begin to seduce said priestess? Or—"

"I believe you've said quite enough." Kurama's voice was dangerously low as Youko's spirit clawed his way to the surface.

"What would you do, fox?" Hiei taunted him. "Kill me? Nothing short of my death would put an end to the mockery you've left yourself open to."

"Do not tempt me."

"I am above temptation and you used to be, as well. I am not baiting you without reason; I have concern that this girl will endanger us all. We have not worked so hard for so long to have it all blasted away in a second by some human priestess!"

Kurama was quiet. It was unlike Hiei to be so openly adamant about his point of view and therefore deserved serious thought. At first, he'd thought the little demon was jealous of the time he was spending on Kagome but could it be…? He was actually thinking of someone else before himself? A smug smile tried to creep onto his face but Kurama dared not let Hiei see it. Kurama could now hear Yusuke and Kuwabara's familiar footsteps coming towards them.

"I will think on what you've said."

"See that you do." Hiei withdrew into himself, determined to make up for his loquaciousness by being utterly silent for the next few days.

"Wow, thanks for including me, guys." Kuwabara lumbered into the alcove, easily taking up double the room of anyone else.

"Good morning to you, Kuwabara." Kurama greeted the carrot top.

"Alright, let's get cracking. How the hell did Koenma get to you all the way over here, Hiei?" Yusuke sat on a low bench beside Kurama.

Hiei looked like the prospect of speaking further rendered him mortally ill so he was as brief as possible. "An owl found me late last night with a paper bearing Koenma's personal seal. It seems he has discovered how the wizards' communication systems work and wants to set up a meeting as soon as possible."

"Aren't we going to that Hogsmeade village soon?" Kuwabara scratched his head, trying to remember when their last trip was.

"Yes, next week I believe."

"We are supposed to write back to Koenma with the date, time and place. We are to secure a private room with a fireplace for at least one hour to be briefed."

"The Three Broomsticks is a good place…there's so much activity going on, no one would think twice about seeing us there." A sound suggestion from Yusuke, but Kurama was already shaking his head.

"We need a private room and someone who can be bought to give us enough time." The four sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking this through.

"What about the Shrieking Shack?"

"I don't believe it's connected to the Floo network anymore."

"Shit. Well, there goes my best idea." Yusuke folded his hands behind his head, removing himself from the conversation.

A group of students heading to breakfast passed by their nook; Hermione, Ron and Harry all stopped by.

"Morning, everyone." Hermione nodded to the group.

"Why so glum?" Ron sat down beside Kuwabara. "Still upset that I wiped the floor with you last night in chess?"

"Am not!" Kuwabara crossed his arms and stuck his nose in the air.

"Oh, don't be a sore loser." Ron jibed him.

"It's true, Ron beats everyone at chess," piped Hermione. Ron subtly blushed. "Kurama, I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"

Inwardly, Kurama thought her overtures at friendship were a bit too obvious but she was a kind person, nonetheless. "I've been well; and yourself? I hear you've taken these two on for tutoring?"

She nodded. "It took a while but when they realized that their marks in class directly affected their ability to function in the wizarding world, they really buckled down. Kuwabara earned top marks on his last Charms exam, isn't that right?"

_How sweet,_ Hiei's sarcasm cut through Kurama's mind.

_You're feeling chatty today._

The answering silence told Kurama his words were well-chosen; Kurama himself wasn't sure he liked the talkative side of the little demon. It was very strange.

"We were just talking about the next Hogsmeade trip," Yusuke's segue was well-timed and Kurama had to applaud his (slowly) growing skill of tact. "Last time we went to the Three Broomsticks the drinks were good but it was too crowded. You have any suggestions?"

"Well, Madam Puddifoot's tea shop is more private but you blokes don't want to be caught in there without a date," Ron suggested.

Kurama filed this away for later use.

"There is the Hog's Head pub," Hermione spoke up, unable to restrain her knee-jerk reaction to being asked a question. "But it's quite dingy and not necessarily the best place for students to be going."

The Tantei knew they'd found their meeting ground. After depending on one another for so long, there wasn't even a pause in the conversation or any meaningful shared glances to give away their intentions.

"Well, dingy isn't exactly what we had in mind. Maybe we'll see you at the village?"

"Of course,"

"We'd probably better head down to breakfast; want to join?" offered Harry.

"Thank you, I've had my fill," Kurama declined while Hiei merely shook his head.

"I think we'll go with you," Yusuke slung his arm around Kuwabara's neck. "Hey, Kurama, Hiei, how's about some exercise tonight?"

The two demons smirked lightly and nodded accord.

"Oh, you won't want to miss this!" Ron clamored to tell his friends all about the spectaculars he'd seen the four Japanese students perform at his home over the summer. "We can come and watch, right? You going to do it by the Pitch, then? There's the most room there, I think…unless you wanted to go by the lake…" Their voices trailed off into the Great Hall.

"We'll be lucky if Ron doesn't start selling tickets," Kurama joked but Hiei had had his absolute fill of all things both conversational and human. He barely spared a glance at his friend before heading outside. The fox hoped Hiei would at least deign to go to classes; he was never the type to let something silly like rules get in his way, but more trouble would be caused by his delinquency.

Kurama didn't see Kagome until later in the day, right before Sans Wands class.

"How are you feeling today?"

"Oh, I'm much better. I didn't even need those bandages when I woke up." Kagome's eyes were sparkling today and, unlike in the past, there wasn't an air of forced cheerfulness in her expression. "Did you get to sleep at all?"

_Such an innocent question,_ Kurama bemoaned silently, trying to squash the vivid images from his fantasy before they could affect his body. "I slept some,"

"Hey, Kurama!" Yusuke and Kuwabara were pushing their way through the crowded corridor towards them. "Kagome, what's up?"

"Aren't you excited about class, today?" Kuwabara was bursting with energy.

"What's happening, again?"

"Don't tell me you forgot, Higurashi?" Yusuke joined in the teasing. "It was fourteen inches of parchment due today!" When he saw her face pale he hastily corrected himself. "Kidding, kidding…"

"I believe the activity they're referring to is that today is the first day of active demonstration for Sans Wands," Kurama supplied a measure of peace to Kagome's panic.

"I can't believe I forgot! But this class has been so boring lately that I guess I just didn't pay attention…"

"Yeah, it was really dragging there," agreed Yusuke. "But today's supposed to be different; I heard Myer is doing an actual demonstration instead of just running his mouth about the theory of this and that and blah, blah, blah…"

"Blah, blah, blah? Is that really all you've learned from me, Mr. Urameshi?" The professor approached Yusuke from behind and now stood staring at the back of the youth's head, appearing torn between amusement and aggravation.

Not willing to give the professor the satisfaction of seeing his embarrassment, Yusuke resorted to his usual fallback of sarcasm. "You know we already know how to do the whole wandless magic thing, Doc, why not just cut us a break and let us show you how it's really done?"

Professor Myer's expression gave way to amusement as he allowed a throng of students into the amphitheater-like classroom they studied in. "I know that you know how to fight without wands, Mr. Urameshi, but what I'm interested in is that you also understand the finesse and skill it takes to perform magic without your wand." Myer waded through the students as they made their way down the dark wooden stairs; he had an unshakable air of ease and confidence that led most of the students to respect him. "But, if you insist on a demonstration of sheer power versus skill, I can provide you with one."

"Now you've done it," Kuwabara bemoaned his friend's loud mouth.

"Where's Hiei?" Kagome asked Kurama.

"I don't know," he whispered back. Members of all the Houses settled along the first three rows of seats while Professor Myer gracefully hopped the low banister separating auditorium from teaching area.

"Since our Urameshi appears to like the limelight so much, I'll just ask him to join me on the floor, if you please."

A round of "Oooh's" rose from the students as Yusuke cracked his knuckles and easily cleared the railing in one jump.

"Thought you'd never ask."

"What does he think he's going to do?" Kagome wondered aloud.

"What Yusuke does best," replied Kurama. "Show off."

"Now, everyone, I know many of you have been feeling restless since the beginning of the year, wanting to get past all of these formalities about theory of wandless magic,"

"Finally, he understands us!" An anonymous voice rose from the students, quickly shushed by some while others started to giggle.

Myer waited patiently for his students to quiet, a small smile on his delicately curved lips. "Today is your lucky day. Mr. Urameshi, please have your wand ready."

Yusuke gamely planted his feet, wand held firmly in his right hand.

"I'm going to demonstrate to you how important it is to be able to perform wandless magic under pressure. But first, we have a little re-arranging to do," Myer turned his attention to the teaching platform, which slowly folded away under his gaze into a smooth hardwood arena that matched the auditorium's seating. Yusuke and Myer were left standing in a large, empty semi-circle. The class ooh-ed and ahh-ed.

"You have all seen duels, I imagine? And you know that in situations such as a duel, having to speak your spells aloud sets you at a disadvantage. For example, Expelliarmus!" Myer whirled on Yusuke, who had a split second to block the curse but did so successfully. "Excellent block, Mr. Urameshi." Myer pocketed his wand with a flourish and then there was a split second of pause until Yusuke's wand flew from his hand and the young man fell to the floor in a full-body binding curse. The entire class was on its feet, shouting appreciation and consternation. Just as silently as he had cursed him, Myer released Yusuke from the curse; Yusuke stared at him appraisingly, no longer as loud or boastful but now calculating.

"Wow," Kagome breathed.

"Just think of the possibilities," Kurama murmured. "This puts an entirely new dimension on dueling. I wonder how they expect to control who casts which spell when they don't need their wand to do so,"

"What about those three curses that are Unforgivable?" Kagome pondered. "Without a wand to track who does what, how will their Ministry know whom to arrest?"

"All important questions," Kurama reassured her. "Let's see what happens here, first."

Yusuke had retrieved his wand by this point but had fallen into a natural fighting pose, the wand an afterthought in his hand.

"As you can all see, there is great possibility for being able to cast spells without having your wand at the ready. In dark times such as these, there is a very real possibility that you may one day find yourself wandless and in need of help. Mr. Urameshi, if you would attempt to cast a spell without using your words?"

"You haven't taught us how to do that yet," Yusuke protested but Meyer was already shaking his head.

"We've been covering the principles of wandless magic for weeks; just try to actively apply what you've learned. If you've learned."

The jibe, although made in jest, embarrassed Yusuke in front of his peers and his fists tightened.

"He's not going to do what I think he is, is he?" Kagome edged a little closer to Kurama.

Yusuke was rolling up his sleeves for dramatic flair. He stuck his wand in his back pocket and pointed his index finger. Kuwabara erupted from his seat shouting, "Don't do it, Urameshi!"

"Don't be an idiot," Kurama muttered between his teeth. His comrade's ego was about to undo their careful plans for concealment.

Too late, Urameshi's aura was powering up. In an instant, the entire room was filled with static electricity and a blinding light raced down Yusuke's arm, through his palm and into a burning point of light at the end of his extended finger. The students were on their feet, shouting.

"Something's wrong," Kuwabara shouted over the commotion and Kagome instantly recognized the problem. The energy Yusuke was attempting to summon was stuck at his fingertip and, after the initial fireworks, the light was dimming quickly. Yusuke's dramatic fighting pose began to look comical as the energy was swallowed up by an unseen force. The captain of the Spirit Detectives noticed the giggles and whispers beginning to fly around the room and scowled darkly.

"What the hell is wrong with this place?" He demanded of Professor Myer, who was coming out of his own defensive crouch, his wand now out of his pocket and extended carefully.

"Mr. Urameshi, you are dismissed from this classroom. Fifty points from Gryffindor—" There were enormous moans from the offended House, "I expect seven pages of parchment due by next week regarding the ethics of wandless magic from every student. Any further in-class demonstrations are postponed until you have all proved a sufficient understanding of the physical and theoretical application of wandless magic. We will be returning to our original lecture format until further notice. Dismissed."

"That was a little harsh, coming from Myer," Kuwabara muttered.

The rest of the student body moved toward the exit, muttering under their breaths about Myer's overreaction to Yusuke's disappointing rebellion.

As the hall emptied out, Myer approached the transfer students furiously. "What in Merlin's name did you think you were doing, Mr. Urameshi?"

"I told you we knew how to do wandless magic!"

"No, you know how to manipulate energy. You do not have the slightest inkling of the finer points of being a wizard. Wandless magic is performing actual spells without a wand, not unleashing a mass of your energy in the form of a weapon!" Myer's rage filled every word but he was so correct in his argument that Yusuke couldn't find anything to say. "Not to mention the fact that you were preparing to launch some sort of spiritually powered weapon towards me and not only endanger myself but the entire class!"

"Um…it won't happen again?" Yusuke muttered, taken aback by the usually easy-going professor's overwhelming ire.

"It most certainly will not." A different voice rang out over their heads.

The group turned to see Dumbledore making his way through the classroom door and down the stairs towards them.

"Headmaster," Myer nodded.

"I apologize if my wards caused so much trouble," Dumbledore had finally arrived at the group.

"It's not your fault," Yusuke protested.

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled a bit, "Quite right, Mr. Urameshi. It was undoubtedly your fault for trying to destroy our newest staff member."

"I wasn't trying to hurt him!" The detective protested.

"If you had shown restraint in trying to show off for your classmates, I would not be in the position of trying to explain your actions to the rest of my staff." The words were harsh but his tone was kind yet firm. Yusuke had enough propriety to look ashamed. "Professor, if you would excuse us. I believe I need to speak with these students in my office."

The Tantei exchanged brief glances but followed the Headmaster out of the room and into the hallway. As they made their way through the castle, students and instructors alike stopped and stared. Apparently, rumors were already circulating. Once they stood facing the statue guarding the entrance to his office, Dumbledore whispered the password, "Gummi Bears," which caused Kagome to giggle. The aging wizard turned a kind eye to her. "I have always had a love for Muggle sweets," he explained.

Kurama's mind shifted to Hiei and his peculiar sweet tooth. Up until that moment, Kurama hadn't thought of the little demon, but just a thought was enough to reach out and discover the hybrid making his way towards them quickly.

Kurama paused at the base of the stairs, waiting for Hiei to catch up. When Dumbledore saw the latest addition to the group, he nodded as they stepped into his office. "Welcome, welcome. Please sit down." He conjured enough comfortable chairs for everyone but only Kuwabara and Kagome sat in them. Kurama, Hiei and Yusuke stood around looking very much disinterested in the situation, although Hiei's eye was caught on a giant bowl of candy perched on the Headmaster's desk.

Dumbledore sat in his own chair, hands folded passively in front of him. "You are all aware, no doubt, that I am the reason you have been invited to this school." The students shifted warily and Dumbledore smiled. "In order to convince my colleagues that you were indeed a good fit for Hogwarts I may have had to…tweak a few facts about yourselves. For instance, I refrained from disclosing the fact that three of you have demon blood."

Hiei and Kurama were immediately on alert, eyes squinted suspiciously and bodies tense. Yusuke was the one who chose to speak up. "Wait, wait, you know about us?"

"Of course, Mr. Urameshi. I would not have invited strangers casually into my school at such a dangerous time without having thorough knowledge of your backgrounds."

"How much do you know?" Kurama asked, one hand casually twirling a strand of hair that was very close to the nape of his neck.

_Will we have to kill him?_ Was his actual thought, echoed moments later by Hiei.

"Let me be clear, everyone," Dumbledore's expression was suddenly serious. "I have many connections around the world and, despite the general idea among my peers that the Wizarding way is the best way, I have come to understand there are other ways to perform magic…or, as some would call it, psychic energy." He peered over his half-moon spectacles at the group, scrutinizing each of them in turn. "Many Wizards are still convinced that the realm of non-magical folk does not concern them. I disagree strongly. The separation of Earth into different realms isn't new but most reject the idea that there are categories other than Muggle and Wizard. Your lives are proof enough that they are incorrect. So, to answer your question, Mr. Minamino, I do not know everything about your pasts but I know enough that I wanted to bring you here to help us."

"Help you? What could we do, we don't even know that much magic?" Kuwabara asked, leaning forward in his seat and frowning.

"Yeah, it looks to me like you've got a pretty good handle on your business without us already." This was from Yusuke, who had begun to pace slowly around the room.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, fingers in a steeple, his eyes sharp and intelligent. "As I'm sure you've ascertained since arriving in Britain, all is not well in our world. An incredibly powerful wizard is threatening to destroy our government and our freedom. He is also out to commit genocide against all wizards not of pure heritage and seeks to kill and enslave the non-magical folk of the world. It is a grave situation and we have only one hope to stop him. Harry Potter, your classmate, was prophesized to be the one to defeat Lord Voldemort. I believe completely in Harry's potential."

"But," Kurama inserted into the Headmaster's monologue. In response, the wizard nodded appreciatively.

"But, if we are to defeat him fully, we must also use every weapon we have against him, because that is exactly what he is doing to us."

"We're the weapons," Kagome sat straight up in her chair, heart racing with the implications. "You said we were here to advance our knowledge and gain power by utilizing the Western method of magic. A chance to start over." If she had been brought all the way from home to help fight for a cause she had no desire to be involved with, she would just-! Kagome folded her arms tightly against her chest and leaned far back into the chair.

"Quite right, Ms. Higurashi. That is one of my reasons for bringing you all here."

"How did you convince everyone to allow us to come here?" Kurama asked. He was too surprised by these revelations to know how he felt about it yet.

"I did have to disclose the fact that you have special powers that may put you at risk around the rest of the student body, powers that may interfere with the way we live here in the castle." He gestured to Yusuke. "You discovered one of those inconveniences earlier today when you attempted to fire your spiritual weapon inside the castle."

"Wait, it really was your fault my Spirit Gun went haywire!?" Yusuke advanced a few menacing steps towards the Headmaster's desk.

"I haven't had a problem using my powers on castle grounds," Kurama interjected.

"Neither have I," Kagome supplied.

"I haven't really tried much of mine out, honestly," said Kuwabara.

_I'm unable to use the Jagan,_ Hiei mentioned to Kurama, who had thought as much but his idea wasn't confirmed until now.

"Why am I the lucky one?" Yusuke asked.

"Your power is a destructive one, is it not?" Dumbledore asked the question as if he were trying to lead Yusuke to a specific point.

"Well…if you want to think of it like that, I guess…"

Kurama thought he understood where this was going and decided to speak up. "My ability with plants is seen as benign and so I can function normally with my power."

"Almost correct, Mr. Minamino. The wards I have set up are separate from the protective wards and spells on the school; these wards are against psychic attack."

"You put up wards specifically to stop us from harming anyone in the school." Kurama's voice was completely lacking inflection but inside, he couldn't believe the old man's shrewdness.

"I thought you trusted us?" Kuwabara asked.

"Once cannot be too cautious," was all Dumbledore would say on the matter. "As long as the energy used is one not for destructive purposes, the wards will allow the energy to take form."

_That's why the Jagan is of no use to you, Hiei,_ Kurama interjected to his friend. _I imagine that is also why Yukina can still use her healing abilities freely._

_Cunning old bastard,_ Hiei replied but there was a certain measure of respect in his tone. It wasn't every day someone managed to outwit them. _We're just lucky he's on our side._

_Or that we are on his._

"If you want our help on this, shouldn't we have included Yukina in this talk?" Kagome asked. "Doesn't it concern her, too?"

Now it was Dumbledore's turn to look embarrassed. "Actually, my purpose for the young Ms. Koorime's presence was completely a by-product of inviting you four," he indicated the Tantei, "to the school. My sources told me of the main members of your group who would fit the bill of talented young people with special abilities. Therefore, would it not have seemed odd to you that you were invited here but Yukina, equally talented although in other areas, was not?"

"You don't intend to use her in battle." Hiei spoke aloud for the first time.

"Not at all. In any case, her talent does not lie in the battlefield, or would you disagree?"

No one did and Dumbledore nodded to himself. "Officially, you are here on my whim to learn skills as wizards and witches, to enhance your lives and perhaps to bridge cultural gaps between Western and Eastern magic by adding diversity to the school. Unofficially, and this knowledge is shared only by two other individuals, Professors Snape and McGonagall, you are here to use your special talents to help rid the world of Lord Voldemort and his followers."

"Not that it's not a noble cause and all, but don't you think you should've, you know…checked with us on that before you hauled our asses all the way over here?" The anger in Yusuke's voice translated directly into sarcasm.

Dumbledore redirected the conversation effortlessly. "Did you, or did you not, Mr. Jaganshi, receive an unusual owl the other evening?"

The Tantei became unnaturally still. "I did." Hiei responded curtly.

"Was this message not from a former employer of yours?"

"Enough with the leading questions; get to your point." Yusuke gripped the back of one chair in both hands, tension vibrating through his muscles.

"I have been in touch with Mr. Koenma for some months now and he is the main reason you all came to my attention."

"Koenma? Who's that?" Kagome asked, looking around the group for answers. "I don't know a Koenma."

"No, Ms. Higurashi, you do not know him but he is also the one who brought you to my attention."

Kagome huddled further into her seat, not at all certain she liked where this conversation was going.

"As I explained earlier, my sources are from all over the globe and are in every realm, including the Realm of Spirits."

"And of Demon World?" Kurama had to know the answer.

Dumbledore nodded once and the Tantei seemed to be speechless at the depth of exploitation involving their carefully guarded secrets. If this man, not even remotely connected to them, could find out so much about their pasts, then who else could do the same?

"Much of what I know is because of your friend, Mr. Koenma."

"That little bastard is no friend of mine," Yusuke growled, smashing his fist onto the chair he held in a death grip.

"Please, do not blame him for what has happened or for what I know about you all."

"He has no right to divulge our private information." Kurama's voice had gone soft and steely. Revenge was at the forefront of his mind.

"Remember that I do not know all of your secrets, please," Dumbledore interjected as he sensed the outright hostility in the room. "I know of the Dark Tournament and of your demonic background. I know nothing of who you were or how you came to be before the last year or so. Koenma divulged only enough information to allow me to make an intelligent decision about inviting you here."

"I think you're avoiding a certain point, here. Who is this Koenma person and how did you both 'find out' about me?" Kagome sat straight up, her lips drawn tightly and eyebrows in a firm line.

"My apologies, Ms. Higurashi. Mr. Koenma is in charge of a vast amount of topics, usually involving the Spirit, Demon and Human realms as well as the transportation between those worlds." He peered over his half-moon spectacles, giving her the opportunity to push for more information.

"…Oh." She glanced around the room and found all eyes to be on her. "Hey, guys, could we…get a little privacy?"

Hiei and Kurama didn't appear to want to fulfill her request, but Yusuke and Kuwabara looked to Dumbledore for his response. The elderly wizard smiled softly and winked at them.

"If you gentlemen wouldn't mind waiting in the corridor for a moment?"

"What if we'd prefer to stay where we are?" Hiei cocked his head to the side, an insolent gleam in his eyes.

Dumbledore chuckled. "What if I offered you some of the sweets from my collection to occupy yourselves with?"

Yusuke shrugged and grabbed a few pieces from the enormous glass bowl and walked out. Kuwabara and Kurama followed shortly, each taking a few pieces. Hiei was the last one out, grabbing as many pieces as could fit in his hand and casually strolling out.

"That was…odd." Kagome remarked as Dumbledore squared off in front of her.

"I've always had a knack for identifying those with a propensity for sweets, like myself. Twizzler?" He extended a red rope candy to her, but Kagome shook her head.

"I'd really like to hear what you have to say about this Koenma."

Dumbledore gathered himself and moved to stand before his desk, just in front of where Kagome sat in the conjured chair. "Kagome," He began in a fatherly tone, "You were brought to my attention not long after I made contact with Koenma originally. I had been building a business relationship with the Prince for several months; he was following up several leads I had asked him to investigate. One of those led him to find you."

Kagome stared into the Headmaster's compassionate eyes and felt nothing but fear and betrayal. If someone knew of her access to the Feudal Era, could they possibly change it? Did this Prince have the power to alter time and perhaps erase her entire journey? What would happen to InuYasha and her friends then? What if—

"Kagome?" Dumbledore called her attention back to the present. "I can see you are very upset at this information and I do apologize for causing you grief. Let me reassure you on a few facts. Firstly, your past is private and I truly know very little about your history."

"What exactly do you know?" Kagome locked her emotions down tightly and met the aging wizard's gaze steadily.

"I know you are a priestess of considerable power who was given the opportunity to travel across time to help complete an important facet of your country's national history. I know that you no longer take part in these time travels and can only assume that you endured great trials of character in your adventures."

"…That's it?" The young priestess was a little surprised at his lack of detail.

"That is all I know about you from the information Koenma gathered for me."

"Then why did you bring me here in the first place? I've already defeated my own Dark Lord and I have to tell you that I will not be pulled into someone else's war. I won't bear another fight like what I've already experienced. I can't."

Dumbledore paused, weighing her emotional plea to him carefully.

"I understand your hesitation to join our cause." When Kagome glared at him, he raised his hand to soothe her. "Sincerely, I do. This war has only occasionally slipped its bounds in the magical world and appeared to the Muggles. However, it is only a matter of time before it spreads to every continent and every major city around the world. Voldemort has an extensive grasp and possesses enough power to lure support wherever he chooses to go. For now, his focus remains in Europe. But let me assure you, Kagome, when he decides to take his bid for power outside of this country, the world will know his name and fear it just as the people here do."

Kagome was silent as she internalized his speech. Finally, she spoke, "So inviting me and the Detectives here was a preemptive move to try and stop your enemy from spreading his power too far and overwhelming your resources."

"I'm glad you grasp the basic situation so quickly."

Kagome stood and turned away. "I'm flattered that you thought to include me in your plans to help save more people, but I don't think I'm capable of going back to that type of lifestyle. Even if I can, I'm not sure I'm willing."

"I realize how difficult this must be for you. If that is your choice, then I give you my word that I will return you to your family as soon as possible. Understand, however, that I would have to wipe your memory of these past months and when returned you to your home, you would have no recollection of having come to Britain or of meeting any of the people here. Your life would go back to the stage you left it in when you originally departed."

Kagome stood still as comprehension dawned on her but Dumbledore continued. "I will give you a week to consider this possibility and then I would appreciate your answer. I wish you a good day."

Despite the obvious dismissal, Kagome had trouble leaving the office because she couldn't shake the thought that Dumbledore knew more than he said and was playing her emotions like a finely tuned instrument. In the hall, the Detectives lounged against the wall as they waited for her to exit the Headmaster's office.

"So what did he have to say?" Yusuke asked.

"Shut up, Urameshi, obviously it's a private issue!" Kuwabara punched his best friend's shoulder for his insensitivity.

"Guys, guys," Kagome placated them with a gesture before sighing deeply. "I'll tell you later. But for now, I want you to tell me about this little message from Mr. Koenma."


End file.
